Every Mother’s Day Pauline Gouldthorpe visits her son’s grave.
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But this year she faces the confronting reality that her child’s killer will be back on the street after he was given leave to visit his own family.
Matthew Gouldthorpe was 19 when he was mowed down on a footpath in Launceston in 2005 after asking for directions.
He had only been in Tasmania for three days after moving to the state to study.
The driver, Shane Anthony Mayne, hit the teenager once before doing a U-turn, driving at him again and killing him.
Mayne pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed for 25 years with a 14 year non-parole period.
His passenger, Michael John Brown, was jailed for manslaughter, but was out within four years.
While Mayne isn’t eligible for parole until next year, this Mother’s Day weekend he will walk free.
Receiving a letter from the Justice Department confirming Mayne had been approved for supervised visits to go shopping and visit a private residence in Launceston, Mrs Gouldthorpe said she was “gutted”.
“I have to go to my son’s grave to see him on Mother’s Day,” she said.
“Why does he get to go out and visit his mother? Let her make the effort to go see him in prison.
“I was gutted, you should have seen my husband’s face he just couldn’t believe it, he was stunned.
“It was like salt in the wound.”
The letter stated Mayne would be out of Risdon Prison from Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon.
“During an offender’s incarceration various types of leave can be granted by the prison. Educational, reintegration, cultural, medical, employment,” it read.
“The idea of rehabilitation [and] reintegration leave is to strengthen relationships with family supports [and] community to ensure the best possible outcome for rehabilitation upon future release.
“This is part of the ‘Breaking the Cycle’ program, which the Tasmanian government and correctional services is committed to.”
It’s not the first time Mayne has been released from prison.
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Less than two years after Matthew was killed, Mayne was released for a day for “resocialisation at a private Launceston residence”.
“He took a young man’s life and yet he’s allowed out on the weekend, I find that so unjust,” Mrs Gouldthorpe said.
“You’re allowed to have a life when you took away a life … what does that say for the victim’s family? You have done your time, you have done 14 years, so you can go back to normal?
“We have never been normal since and we will never go back to normal.”
Mayne will be eligible for parole in February next year.
