Man who helped Snowtown killers seeks early release

Mark John Haydon, the man was convicted of “assisting” in the infamous Snowtown murders is seeking parole as his 18 year non-parole period comes to an end at the end of this month. 

In 2004, Haydon was tried for the murders of his wife Elizabeth in November 1998 and of Troy Youde at Murray Bridge in 2001, but the Supreme Court jury was unable to reach a verdict. He was later sentenced to 25 years behind bars for his role in seven out of 11 of the Snowtown murders, for which John Bunting, Robert Wagner, and James Vlassakis were convicted.

The three were arrested after the grisly discovery of eight dismembered bodies hidden in acid-filled barrels in the vault of the former Snowtown bank in 1999.

Because of the unusual conviction of “assisting”, a  law passed in 2007 that was supposed to keep the state’s worst criminals locked up cannot come into effect, meaning that there is nothing that can be done to keep Haydon behind bars. 

Attorney-General John Rau was told that in order to use the law, Haydon would have to have been convicted of “aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring”. 

Victims’ Rights commissioner Michael O’Connell told the Adelaide Advertiser that the public might consider the phrase “assisting” the same as “aiding” a murder.

“Unfortunately, although a commonsense view suggests assisting murderers is similar to aiding and abetting them, the legal view probably differs,’’ he said. 

Bunting and Wagner will never be released, but Vlassakis will be eligible for parole in 2025.

The Parole Board are due to make a decision at a hearing next month.

Do you think Haydon should be released on bail?