Quadruple murderer Ljube Velevski has maintained he is innocent of his original crimes, while being found not guilty of breaching his reporting obligations following his release from prison last year.
Key points:
- Velevski was found not guilty of breaching the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act by failing to report to police
- The 58-year-old served a 25-year term for murdering his wife and three daughters in 1994
- The court dismissed the charge after finding that Velevski did not understand his reporting obligations when he was released
The 58-year-old Illawarra man was convicted in 1997 of murdering his wife Snezana, six-year-old daughter Zaklina and twin baby daughters Daniela and Dijana in their family home.
He was released from Junee Correctional Centre in July last year after serving a 25-year prison term.
A warrant was issued for the arrest of the 58-year-old after he failed to report to the local police station within a week of his release, in accordance with his obligations as a registrable person under the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act.
Velevski appeared in Wollongong local court today alongside a Macedonian translator for his sentencing hearing.
The court heard the defendant did not understand the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act when it was presented to him while he was being discharged from prison.
He claimed he misread the document as a child support form and refused to sign it.
"I will not sign, no children support," Velevski said.
"My wife killed my children and herself."
Matter dismissed by magistrate
Velevski told the court the manager of operations at Junee corrections, Amanda Garlick, did not tell him he must report to his local police station within seven days.
He said he asked for an interpreter but was ignored.
Ms Garlick gave evidence that she did not specifically tell Velevski that the form was for the child protection register and was reluctant to do so as there were other inmates present.
She denied that she did not inform the defendant of his obligation to report within a week of release.
Magistrate Gabriel Fleming accepted Velevski's evidence and said he believed it was unlikely Velevski would jeopardise his freedom.
"I find it implausible that after 25 years in custody he would risk being further incarcerated by failing to report to police for 19 hours," Magistrate Fleming said.
"Reinforced by the fact that as soon as he became aware of that obligation and his family began talking about a warrant for his arrest he presented."
She found Velevski not guilty and dismissed the matter.