Private Providers Removed After Accused Individual Removes Ankle Monitor
Accused criminals on bail will now be monitored around the clock in-house in response to concerns from the premier about the repeated instances of individuals committing serious offenses.
The spotlight has been on private ankle monitors following the collapse of Melbourne-based GPS monitoring service BailSafe in January, which left state governments and police in the dark.
A high-risk offender is reportedly on the run after cutting off a privately provided monitor moments after being fitted with it.
NSW Premier Chris Minns expressed his concern, stating, “It’s clearly not working. There are repeat instances over and over again of individuals who are accused of very serious offenses in the state having access to private monitoring and then going on to commit other offenses.”
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“We’re drawing a line in the sand,” Minns declared.
The decision aligns NSW with Victoria, which faced exposure due to BailSafe’s administration collapse.
Ankle monitoring is typically for offenders facing serious charges, with wealthier individuals opting to hire private firms to improve their chances of bail.
Some Supreme Court judges criticized this practice for indirectly discriminating against economically disadvantaged accused offenders.
Minns mentioned that a transition plan for current monitoring individuals will be developed.
“But we’ve seen enough, and the proof is there,” he added.
NSW Police are searching for Matthew John Langford, who was released on bail for drug supply, weapons, and theft charges with the condition to wear a GPS ankle monitor provided by a third party and reside with his mother.
He reportedly removed the bracelet within an hour of his release, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.
Police also seek him for firearm offenses.
“The monitoring was a court-imposed condition, and the police cannot comment,” a police spokeswoman told AAP.
The collapse of BailSafe Australia caused concern for the Victorian government in February, leading the state to sever ties with all private GPS monitoring companies.
Eight suspects were supposed to be monitored by BailSafe in Victoria, and another 20 in NSW.
Victoria’s shadow attorney-general, Michael O’Brien, criticized the state government, suggesting it would have been better off using AirTags to track some individuals.
