Vic magistrate hits out at parole system

A magistrate has hit out at Victoria's parole laws, after a repeat offender was left unsupervised to commit "sinister" assaults on women within days of his release.

Adam Robertson, 36, attacked two women from behind last year as they walked home along the popular Melbourne night-life strip where Jill Meagher was raped and murdered.

Just seven days earlier, Robertson was released from prison to a Brooklyn caravan park without any ongoing supervision in place.

He had previously been denied parole, under which he would have been released earlier but under the watch of the Adult Parole Board.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Felicity Broughton said it was "simply ridiculous" that he was released unsupervised.

"Isn't this a really good example of the whole problem of having people not on parole and having them return unsupervised into the community?" she said.

"I have deep concerns about the fact (Robertson) didn't get parole.

"The results of changes to the parole system appears to be that a lot of people just aren't getting parole.

"To be frank I'd be very concerned to see that happening again."

Robertson pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.

Robertson grabbed one of his victims in a headlock from behind as she walked along Sydney Road in Brunswick about 1.15am on May 10 last year.

He dragged her down a secluded side street where he tried to grab at her body, before apologising, and leaving the scene.

Half an hour later he tackled another woman in a nearby street and tried to pin her on the ground.

He fled when she fought back and began to scream.

Ms Meagher was raped and murdered as she walked home from a bar on Sydney Road in 2012.

Robertson is a heroin user with a criminal record stretching back 17 years, and was described by Ms Broughton as an offender who has "on the face of it no prospect of rehabilitation".

"It happens to be a very sinister set of circumstances against vulnerable women at night," she said.

"I'm interested here in community protection."

The former state government tightened Victoria's parole laws last year in response to High Court judge Ian Callinan's scathing review of the parole system, which was prompted by high-profile murders by offenders on parole.

Robertson will return to court in March.