Killer free for a day

The University of Tasmania student had only been in Launceston three days and had flagged down Mayne to ask for directions.

It was the prosecution's case that Mayne's passenger Michael John Brown instigated the crime by telling Mayne to hit the student.

Brown was found guilty of manslaughter in the Launceston Supreme Court last year but acquitted of murder.

HE was sentenced to six years' jail with a non-parole period of three years, which means he will be eligible for parole in February next year.

Mayne pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 25 years' jail with a minimum non- parole period of 14 years.

Matthew's parents Pauline and Howard Gouldthorpe, of Victoria, received a letter from the Justice Department that said Brown, now 25, was being released on March 27.

The letter briefly said Brown would be allowed leave between 11am and 3.30pm for resocialisation at a private Launceston residence.

Mrs Gouldthorpe said she was disgusted that Brown had been allowed out of jail.

"If the (minimum) prison sentence is three years then it's three years," she said.

"He shouldn't be allowed out at all and I just think it's something that the public need to know is happening."

Mrs Gouldthorpe said she felt like her family had no rights.

"What chances did they give my son?" she asked. "There was nothing. They just killed him in cold blood."

A Justice Department spokesman defended the release as part of ongoing inmate rehabilitation.

"Section 42 of the Corrections Act allows inmates to apply for a period of leave from prison for a number of purposes including as part of a pre-release or reintegration programme," he said.

"The leave is at the discretion of the Director of Prisons (Graeme Barber) who takes into account factors such as the inmate's behaviour while in prison, the notoriety of the inmate and the length of time before the inmate is eligible for parole."

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