'Aggrieved' sextortionist of 49 teens wants out of jail
Kurtis Whaley, 29, was hit with a maximum jail sentence of almost 10 years in May 2020 after admitting to posing as a 16-year-old Perth girl and persuading his victims to send him explicit material.
He chatted with the teenage boys online, covertly saving the material to blackmail the victims later into sending more explicit photos or videos.
His non-parole period of six years and four months expired on June 19.
But six days earlier, a delegate of Commonwealth Attorney-General Michelle Rowland denied his release.
Whaley claims he was "aggrieved" by the decision in a Federal Court case filed earlier in July.
"His interests are adversely affected by the decision, having been denied parole," court documents seen by AAP say.
The 29-year-old alleges Ms Rowland improperly exercised her powers by denying him parole without considering one of its purposes: reintegration into the community.
The Federal Court has been asked to quash the original decision and to send the matter back to the attorney-general to be reconsidered.
A spokesman for Ms Rowland declined to explain why parole had been refused or comment on the court case.
"The Albanese government is committed to ensuring the safety of the community," he said.
When Whaley was sentenced in May 2020, NSW District Court Judge Ian Bourke found he engaged in a "premeditated system of intimidation" to entice his victims to share further explicit material.
He clearly and cleverly tricked victims into supplying pictures of their faces "to enslave them ... to satisfy his perverted sexual desires," the judge wrote in his decision.
If his blackmailing demands were not met, he then shared what he had with those close to the victims, including their underage friends and siblings.
The conduct was "nothing short of cruel and merciless," Judge Bourke wrote.
The offending began in 2014 on Skype and video chat site Omegle before Whaley turned to Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram, where he was able to exploit his victims' close relationships.
Boys tricked into complying with Whaley's demands came from areas including Victoria, NSW and Queensland, as well as New Zealand and the United States.
Whaley's challenge against the parole decision has not been allocated a hearing date.
His full jail sentence will expire on August 19, 2028.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
7 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Sky News Contributor Louise Roberts says a pro Palestinian protest over the Sydney Harbour Bridge is madess
This Sunday a radical activist collective - the Palestine Action Group - wants to shut down the Sydney Harbour Bridge to stage a pro-Palestinian protest. NSW Premier Chris Minns says he will not allow our steel and granite symbol of unity and resilience to be closed 'under any circumstances'. Good. Let's be clear: no one is denying the right to protest and no one wants innocent civilians in Gaza starving to death. Yes, the suffering we are witnessing from the safety of Australia is undeniable and to wholesale blame Israel for this is appalling when Hamas has the region in its cruel, iron grip. Hijacking the Harbour Bridge to stage a global political spectacle from Sydney is not peaceful protest. It is theatrics disguised as justice. Mr Minns and NSW Police have said they would support the protest if it is held at another location or time. The Palestine Action Group, I would argue, is not purely a group calling for peace and critical help for perishing and injured citizens in the Middle East. To be blunt, some of them include people who, since the October 7 2023 Hamas terrorist slaughter, have waved flags for a cause that routinely veers into anti-Semitic slogans and chants for Israel to be wiped off the map. When organisers like Josh Lees claim the Australian government is 'enabling genocide' through arms exports, the focus shifts dramatically. Is this truly a call for humanitarian aid or has the march became a political battering ram aimed at Canberra? NSW Police, under Deputy Commissioner Thurtell, have shown remarkable restraint. They have enabled more than 100 pro-Palestine demonstrations since the horrors of October 7, despite the appalling aftermath of the protest on the Opera House steps. That is not police obstruction. It is operational goodwill. Organisers point to past closures of the bridge, such as for a Ryan Gosling film and World Pride, but those events were widely supported and carefully planned. Mr Minns is treading a fine line between recognising public sentiment and upholding civic order. Meanwhile across the border in Victoria, it's the same story. No surprise. Pro-Palestine protesters are planning to block Melbourne's King Street Bridge this weekend despite warnings from police. Hundreds of officers will be redeployed to manage this event which will drag resources away from crime, emergencies and actual policing duties. What has become clear is this: the bridge protests aren't about peace or humanitarian concern. They are about headlines and optics. 'Block the City for Gaza' reads the posters. Not help Gaza. All of this is unfolding as Australia moves closer to recognising a Palestinian state, with suggestions that the Albanese government likely to join the UK, France and Canada in supporting the move as part of efforts toward a two-state solution. This is despite fears, led by Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, that this decision would fuel Hamas. Respected Jewish leader Mark Leibler this week reminded Mr Albanese of his own conditions on this very issue: no recognition until Hamas is disarmed and the hostages are freed. Neither has happened. In an interview with The Australian, Mr Leibler's warning couldn't be clearer - premature recognition punishes the innocent and rewards terror. Israeli hostages will still be underground, Palestinian civilians will still be suffering and meanwhile Hamas is emboldened by every Western government desperate to look progressive. Social media messages this week ahead of the march from The Palestine Action Group include this: 'In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.' And this: 'Chris Minns: get out of the way we're stopping a genocide'. Plus more: 'The bridge is really important. The Zionists are comfortable in the city, with enormous power over media and institutions. A big march on the bridge will make them uncomfortable, will hit back.' 'See you there!' 'The cops can't arrest all of us even if it doesn't win in court.' 'Where can I get a Palestinian flag?" And so on. No mention of the mother and baby butchers and rapists of Hamas, then. It is always what evil Israel 'is doing'. Fighting the police decision in NSW's Supreme Court is not about protesting. It is about power. And they want to see if they can take it from us. And the Premier, under fire for his handling of the situation, has been more than reasonable. One MP even accused him of caring more about 'traffic flow than starving children.' Protest isn't a free pass. It doesn't allow you to bring national infrastructure to a halt just because you are passionate about a cause.
West Australian
13 hours ago
- West Australian
Palestine, AUKUS set for debate at Labor love-in
A key defence partnership and Middle East policy will come into sharp focus at a Labor conference as protesters try to disrupt the love-in after the party's thumping election win. Party leaders, members and union officials will gather for the Victorian Labor state conference on Saturday and Sunday in Melbourne, with MPs to rub shoulders with the rank and file. A raft of grassroots resolutions will be put up for debate and voted on across the two days, although the motions are not binding on the state or federal Labor governments. These include one calling for immediate action against the "military occupation, siege and genocide" in Palestine. A similar resolution passed at the state conference in 2024 after the terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the nation's subsequent military campaign in Gaza. Suggestions within the motion, which is subject to change, include comprehensive sanctions on members of Israel's Netanyahu government and legislating improved military trade transparency and tracking laws. Labor's official platform backs Palestinian statehood but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to set a timeline for the policy's implementation, recently declaring it was not imminent. More draft motions seen by AAP relate to the AUKUS nuclear submarines pact, US President Donald Trump, a public housing towers redevelopment plan and the right to peaceful assembly. A rally has been called outside the event by a coalition of groups opposing the "genocide in Gaza", forced administration of the embattled CFMEU and incoming state protest laws. Security has been tightened for the event after pro-Palestine protesters stormed the venue in 2024. The major security breach led to the conference floor being locked down and delayed speeches by Mr Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan, who has warned people not to bring their "extremist behaviour" to the 2025 conference. "If they want to join the Labor party and be part of the debate and discussion inside the room, that's how you make a difference," Ms Allan said. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the force was prepared for protest action and ready to respond if needed. The conference falls on the same weekend as Garma Festival in the Northern Territory's remote northeast Arnhem Land. Mr Albanese is expected to attend the four-day festival, with another senior leader to give the federal address to the state Labor faithful in his place. With issues mounting after a decade in power, the Victorian Labor brand was viewed as a drag on the Albanese government's hopes for re-election in the lead-up to the May 3 poll. Labor ultimately retained all of its Victorian seats and added MPs for Deakin, Menzies and Melbourne to its ballooning lower-house benches in Canberra.
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
Palestine, AUKUS set for debate at Labor love-in
A key defence partnership and Middle East policy will come into sharp focus at a Labor conference as protesters try to disrupt the love-in after the party's thumping election win. Party leaders, members and union officials will gather for the Victorian Labor state conference on Saturday and Sunday in Melbourne, with MPs to rub shoulders with the rank and file. A raft of grassroots resolutions will be put up for debate and voted on across the two days, although the motions are not binding on the state or federal Labor governments. These include one calling for immediate action against the "military occupation, siege and genocide" in Palestine. A similar resolution passed at the state conference in 2024 after the terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the nation's subsequent military campaign in Gaza. Suggestions within the motion, which is subject to change, include comprehensive sanctions on members of Israel's Netanyahu government and legislating improved military trade transparency and tracking laws. Labor's official platform backs Palestinian statehood but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to set a timeline for the policy's implementation, recently declaring it was not imminent. More draft motions seen by AAP relate to the AUKUS nuclear submarines pact, US President Donald Trump, a public housing towers redevelopment plan and the right to peaceful assembly. A rally has been called outside the event by a coalition of groups opposing the "genocide in Gaza", forced administration of the embattled CFMEU and incoming state protest laws. Security has been tightened for the event after pro-Palestine protesters stormed the venue in 2024. The major security breach led to the conference floor being locked down and delayed speeches by Mr Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan, who has warned people not to bring their "extremist behaviour" to the 2025 conference. "If they want to join the Labor party and be part of the debate and discussion inside the room, that's how you make a difference," Ms Allan said. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the force was prepared for protest action and ready to respond if needed. The conference falls on the same weekend as Garma Festival in the Northern Territory's remote northeast Arnhem Land. Mr Albanese is expected to attend the four-day festival, with another senior leader to give the federal address to the state Labor faithful in his place. With issues mounting after a decade in power, the Victorian Labor brand was viewed as a drag on the Albanese government's hopes for re-election in the lead-up to the May 3 poll. Labor ultimately retained all of its Victorian seats and added MPs for Deakin, Menzies and Melbourne to its ballooning lower-house benches in Canberra.
