I'm worried sick that monster who killed my Joanne may soon walk free

Heartbroken mum awaits parole result for daughter's rapist killer

- LYDIA VELJANOVSKI

DOREEN Soulsby was watching her three grandchildren open their gifts on Christmas morning when the phone rang.

On the other end was her ex-husband with news about her 29-year-old daughter Joanne Tulip, which turned December 25, 1997, into the worst day of Doreen's life.

Joanne had been raped, mutilated and murdered by a sadist.

Doreen said the call was like a bomb going off. "I screamed and went ballistic. The little kids were ushered away because they didn't know what was up with Granny."

Now, nearly 27 years later, she is worried sick that Joanne's killer Steven Ling may soon be free.

The result of his fifth parole hearing is due on September 9 and Doreen fears he will be transferred to an open prison - or worse, set free as one psychologist recommended at a hearing. Open prisons are known as "training prisons" for those considered as "low risk" to the public.

SWASTIKAS

Farm worker Ling stabbed Joanne 60 times, raped her, carved swastikas and crosses into her body, and stabbed cigarettes on her.

Doreen said: "She was tortured but it looked like he had been playing with her body.

"The judge didn't put the rape to trial because the murder was a greater offence. So, the result of that is he is not a convicted sex offender."