Druggie who bashed female cop over the head with a brick in Sydney’s Kings Cross is released from jail
A drug addict who hit a police officer with a rock and left her for dead has been released from prison, despite officials admitting he is at high risk of reoffending.
Roderick Holohan was on parole for several violent crimes when he punched then-sergeant Samantha Barlow in the head as she walked to work in Sydney’s Kings Cross in May 2009.
He was sentenced to up to 19 years in prison after the attack, in which he stole Ms Barlow’s purse, phone and purse while he thought the officer was dead, and stole $200 for a hit of heroin.
When he attacked Ms Barlow, Holohan was on parole for two other horrific attacks on women.
Two weeks ago, the NSW State Parole Authority ordered Holohan released before the end of November, arguing it would be better for him to be monitored in the community rather than left unsupervised if he had served his full sentence .
Ms Barlow, who survived the attack despite being dragged unconscious out of sight by Holohan, has revealed she was initially kept in the dark about her attacker’s parole hearing.
That revelation prompted Prime Minister Chris Minns to announce changes to ensure greater transparency for crime victims when parole considerations were made.
The brutal beating shattered part of her skull, leading to 22 months of extensive rehabilitation.
The former officer told the parole authority that the heroin addict’s crime changed her life, forcing her to quit her job in law enforcement at the age of 37 and leaving her with lifelong injuries.
Evidence was heard about Holohan’s poor behavior in prison and his high risk of reoffending, although Corrective Services NSW still recommended he be released.
Sergeant Samantha Barlow (pictured) was on her way to work in the entertainment district in 2009 when she was attacked by Roderick Holohan, who fractured her skull, broke her nose and injured her neck.
Roderick Holohan pictured during his trial in 2010
“While it is concerning that he has engaged in further institutional misconduct, it is noted that his behavior has improved significantly since his last parole,” an assessment said.
The parole board took into account the impact of the attack on Ms Barlow, but said the risks of reoffending did not outweigh the fact that Holohan’s rehabilitation behind bars had stalled.
“There is no evidence that if the offender remains in custody, any of these factors are likely to change for the better,” the authority said.
It was important to remember that Holohan would not have a risk mitigation plan if he was not released before the end of his sentence because he would not be under supervision, the report said.
“He would then be completely left to his own devices to manage his reintegration into the community, without any form of support, after almost twenty years of incarceration,” the authority said.
Holohan’s parole conditions include participation in a violent offender program, restrictions on where he can go in NSW and a total drug ban.