Murderer's parole bid thwarted

A convicted murderer who has appealed for automatic release on parole will remain in prison in South Australia.

Legislation has been rushed through both houses of State Parliament to prevent his release.

The passage of the truth in sentencing amendment means convicted murderer Shane Andrews will not get automatic parole.

Andrews had applied to the Court of Criminal Appeal because he was sentenced before 1994, when laws were changed requiring prisoners sentenced to terms of five years or longer to apply for parole.

SA Attorney-General Michael Atkinson says Parliament needed to act swiftly.

"The danger of the truth in sentencing legislation being struck down by the Court of Criminal Appeal was that more than 10 very dangerous criminals would have been on the street in Adelaide and SA and would have had million-dollar civil suits against the Government for false imprisonment," he said.

"Shane Andrews will remain in prison whatever the outcome of his appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal because it was never the intention of any side of Parliament that he get automatic parole.

"In SA, all prisoners sentenced to more than five years in prison have to earn parole and get it from the Parole Board."