Double murderer 'able to play the system'

Double murderer Steven James Hunter was able to play a flawed parole system. It cost Sarah Cafferkey her life.

Hunter was unreformed when his parole for other crimes ended in 2012, 11 days before he stabbed and bashed the 22-year-old to death, drove her body to another location, put it in a wheelie bin and covered it with concrete.

There was a limited opportunity to intervene before Hunter's unconditional release into the community, Victorian coroner Judge Ian Gray said on Wednesday.

It was missed.

The Adult Parole Board was not made aware of a report, written while Hunter was on parole for assault and kidnapping offences, that made it clear he needed substantial further intervention.

"Because of his unchanged attitude towards violence, in particular violence against women, Hunter posed a real risk to the community, both when he commenced his parole and at the end of his parole period," Judge Gray said.

Parole had not mitigated the risks arising from his pro-violence attitudes and beliefs.

"In the interests of community safety, this fact should have been drawn to the attention of the APB."

There was little time between the May 2012 report, after Hunter failed to complete a group program, and the end of his parole on October 30. But no attempt was made to intervene.

"It was only a brief window of opportunity but should have been taken," Judge Gray said.

He said the APB could only make a decision based on the material before it, and was missing some critical information.

"It was a flawed system that required decision-makers to base decisions of this magnitude on limited material."

Judge Gray said Hunter's case workers were overly prepared to accept his self-assessment of his progress on parole and did not bring sufficient rigour or scepticism to the task.

"Hunter was able to play the system," the judge said.

Hunter had a long history of drug use but was not assessed as requiring further intervention in the community.

He had used ice when he killed Ms Cafferkey.

Ms Cafferkey's mum Noelle Dickson, who campaigned for the inquest and reform to the parole system, said there were obvious faults in the system.

"For me and all these victims that have suffered terribly through these flaws and faults ... We're never going to get our loved ones back but all we can do is hope and pray that the government sorts out this justice system," she told reporters.

Ms Dickson wants the government to adopt the coroner's recommendation that serious violent offenders be subjected to the supervision orders, like serious sex offenders.

Corrections Minister Steve Herbert said changes have been made to the parole system and the government will consider if more are needed.

Hunter, who previously served 13 years for killing a woman in 1986, was jailed for life without parole for Ms Cafferkey's murder.

Judge Gray said no one was to blame for Ms Cafferkey's death except Hunter.