A decision to grant parole to Berwyn Rees, who was jailed for the execution-style murder of a policeman and two civilians, has been overturned by NSW's highest court.
NSW Supreme Court Justice Richard Button on Thursday quashed the state parole authority's February 21 decision to release Rees, stating the impact on the victims' families hadn't been fully considered.
Justice Button said the parole authority had considered the physical threat to the victims' families but its decision should "also encompass the psychological or emotional effects".
Rees has spent almost four decades in custody after fatally shooting gun shop manager Raymond James and customer Christopher Greenfield in 1977, then executing Sergeant Keith Haydon in 1980 so the police officer couldn't seize the murder weapon.
Justice Button - who described the gun shop murders as "callous" - said Rees, now 69, was physically enfeebled to a degree.
He had been repeatedly psychiatrically assessed and "has enjoyed day release for quite some time".
However, the judge said considering those factors was not part of his task.
The original parole conditions would have forced Rees to live in supported accommodation and banned him from possessing any prohibited weapons, contacting victims or visiting certain local government areas.
Mr James' daughter told reporters outside court in April she found it "unfathomable" Rees could have been released on parole.
"You can't, in any way, in any world, way, shape or form have a triple cop-killing murderer walking the streets," Tracy James said.
"It's still unfathomable that we're even here having to deal with this."
Australian Associated Press
