John Coombes 'does not seem to pose a substantial threat to the community'

By Russell Robinson - Herald Sun

August 25, 2011

As far back as May 1988, the Adult Parole Board was told he did not pose a threat to the community.

That assessment was given by a senior corrections officer who told the panel the convicted killer deserved to have a set term of incarceration.

"In spite of his offence, which did not seem to be pre-meditated, he does not seem to pose a substantial threat to the community,'' he wrote in his official report.

In documents seen by the Herald Sun, a psychologist also spoke in Coombes' favour, stating to the parole board: "there appears to be no psychiatric contradiction to Mr Coombes release from prison.''

Supreme Court Justice Barry Beach, who imposed the original life sentence on Coombes, heard the killer's plea for a minimum sentence.

He told the court he was satisfied Coombes and his co-accused, Andrew Opie, who was found guilty of manslaughter, did not intend to kill Henry Desmond Kells when they entered his Edithvale bungalow.

He said both men bore a grudge against Opie and their intention was to just beat him.

Referring to Coombes' heavy drinking and extensive prescription drug use at the time, the judge said: "I think it would be fair to say that at the time Kells met his death, the applicant was not in a normal and rational frame of mind."

He also referred to Coombes' 'disturbed'' family background and his marriage break-up.

He then imposed a fixed term of 11 years.

What these men, however, didn't know was that eight months before he'd killed Kells, Coombes had brutally murdered Michael Peter Speirani, by driving over him in his motorboat on Port Phillip Bay.

He and his co-accused, Glen Conlon, then pulled Speirani to the side of his boat and "sliced him up a bit so that the fish could finish him off".

Ten years after the official's vote of confidence in Coombes, the double killer was found guilty in March 1998, of having murdered Speirani.

At his trial, Supreme Court Justice Bernard Teague said he had decided against jailing Coombes for life without parole, even though the court had to treat the double killer as a "serious violent offender''.

He cited evidence that in both murders alcoholism and other health problems were contributing factors, and remarked that Coombes' remorse was "not at a high level".

He concluded, however, that there were clear indications of rehabilitation.

Eleven years later, Coombes would kill again.

His victim, a defenceless 29-year-old child care worker Raechel Betts.

John Leslie Coombes 'mildly obese'

Coombe's physical description in official prison reports is not flattering, to say the least.

He is described as: "...a short, round-headed man with a crew cut and heavy beard. he had a tattoo on his left upper arm and he was wearing glasses. He was mildly obese.''

After being sentenced to life for the murder of Henry Desmond Kells in December 1985, Coombes quickly came to the attention of Pentridge Prison officials. He was accused by the mother of a fellow prisoner of "demanding payment of gambling debts by menace''.

Coombes denied it and blamed it on other prisoners.

Shortly after, four lengths of "home-made rope which were torn from bed sheets'' were found in the G Division kitchen.

"Coombes was believed to be involved with these materials,'' a prison report states.

"When questioned Coombes stated that the material was tea towels that were from a shoe polish bag which were kept in the kitchen for general use.''

Three months later was reported for retaliating after being struck in the back by another prisoner, whom he named.

No charges were laid because the inmate, true to the cell-block code, refused to confirm or deny the incident.

All the time, Coombes was regularly visiting the prison psychiatrist.

The following August, Coombes was transferred to Ararat.

A year later, he made headlines when he and a cellmate, convicted double-killer Dean Ashley, broke out of Ararat.

They were described by police as extremely dangerous and should not be approached.

The pair spent three days on the run until their capture in the rail yards at Red Cliffs, outside Mildura.

Coombes and Ashley had found a water pipe left by contractors and placed it across the top of the inner and outer security fences, using it as a bridge.

Dressed like railway workers, they surrendered without a struggle when police surrounded the goods train carriage, in which they were hiding. One was carrying a long-handled screwdriver and the other a knife.

After his capture, Coombes was promptly returned to Pentridge.

Prison records show Coombes completed a certificate in horticultural science and was studying Japanese.

At the time of his release on November 18, 1996, he was head cook at Morwell River.

Two months later, he was arrested over his involvement in the killing of Michael Speirani, 12 years earlier.