



Hoddle Street killer in court over computer access


Mark Russell

Julian Knight.

Julian Knight. Photo: John Woudstra

Sitting in court dressed in a dark suit, waistcoat and red tie, Hoddle Street mass murderer Julian Knight calmly sipped from a glass of water on Monday as he waited for his case to start in the Victorian Supreme Court.

Knight, 45, who killed seven people and injured 19 during a shooting rampage in 1987, was in court for a hearing to try to get access to a personal computer and an online game console in his cell at Port Phillip Prison.

Representing himself, Knight stood at the bar table lectern and argued his case before Justice Karin Emerton. He was not wearing handcuffs or shackles during the two-hour hearing but two security guards behind him watched his every move.

Knight, who has been trying to get a computer since 2006, said his security rating had been reduced from maximum security to medium and he could be released on parole on May 8 next year – despite Premier Denis Napthine saying last month that Knight would not be released under his watch. Dr Napthine said the parole board had given no indication that it planned to release Knight soon.

Knight told the court he needed a computer because he was involved in 12 separate legal proceedings in the Supreme Court, one proceeding in the Federal Court and another in the High Court. He wants the High Court to force Victorian authorities to give him a release date.

Knight said that since August 23, 2006 when he had applied to have a computer in his cell, more than 300 prisoners had been successful with similar applications.

Knight described himself as a "self-represented litigant involved in multiple proceedings" who needed a computer to help prepare his legal defence. He was "hamstrung" and "arguing in a vacuum" without a computer in his cell.

"The court has to ask why Mr Knight is different to every other prisoner," he said. Knight is seeking leave to bring proceedings against the Victorian government after he was denied access to a PlayStation.

He also wants to relaunch his bid for a judicial review of a decision by Corrections Victoria to reject his application to get a computer.

Declared a vexatious litigant in 2004, meaning many of his claims were considered frivolous and a waste of time, Knight must seek court permission before starting a proceeding and prove to the court that his application would not be doomed to fail.

Claire Harris, acting for Corrections Victoria deputy commissioner Rod Wise, said that since 2009, 12 prisoners, including Knight, had had their applications for an in-cell computer denied, which meant prison authorities were not singling out Knight for unfair treatment. Ms Harris said Mr Wise rejected any suggestion that Knight was being treated as a special case.

Justice Emerton reserved her decision.

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