Nine News defends story after SA Parole Board slams report

Nine News Adelaide is standing by a report last week which has been slammed by the South Australian Parole Board.

Last Wednesday Nine reported Snowtown murders accomplice Mark Haydon had been released on parole with his whereabouts being a closely guarded secret.

#9News can reveal that one of the men convicted over the notorious Snowtown serial killings is tonight a free man.

Mark Haydon – the accomplice to evil – has been released on parole, but where he is right now is a closely guarded secret. @KellyCHughes_ pic.twitter.com/9Wz41dd0hk

— 9News Adelaide (@9NewsAdel) April 17, 2024

But did Nine jump the gun?

The Chair of the parole board Frances Nelson KC told rival Seven News, Haydon remains in Northfield pre-release centre, where he’s been living under strict conditions since being granted parole in February.

‘I don't know how otherwise they could have got it so wrong… It is unfortunate that the victims would have heard that.' SA Parole Board chair Frances Nelson has slammed media reports that Snowtown accomplice Mark Haydon is a free man. She says he remains at the Adelaide… pic.twitter.com/Hbgy5Gbt3t

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) April 18, 2024

As Media Watch reported last night, Nine’s own story from a February press conference noted the steps which would follow.

BEN AVERY: Haydon will soon be moved to the low security pre-release centre. Once allowed out he will have a curfew from 9pm to 6am, wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, be banned from licenced premises and from speaking to the media, and must have no contact with victims’ families.

– Nine News (Adelaide), 21 February, 2024

Haydon will remain in that ‘low security pre-release centre’ until he is released in a month.

But Nine’s Adelaide News Director Jeremy Pudney told Media Watch: “As part of his parole arrangements, Mark Haydon was released from prison and is now free to enter the community for the first time since his incarceration.

“From Ms Nelson’s February media conference until after Nine News‘ reporting this week, the details of Haydon’s release into the community on parole had not been communicated to the public in any form.

“The victims’ relatives we have interviewed this week have expressed concern at Haydon’s day release, rather than any reporting of it.

“We stand by the story and believe it was in the public interest to report that Mark Haydon had been released into the community.”