Russell Street bomber Craig Minogue is fighting for access to similar erotic art in jail that Victoria's worst serial killer was recently granted access to.
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In August, Paul Steven Haigh - who murdered six people in the late 1970s and a seventh in 1991 - won a court bid to use tarot cards featuring bare-breasted women in jail.
The practising pagan successfully argued Barwon Prison should allow him to use the cards, which the jail banned as "pornographic" or "objectionable", on the basis of religious freedom.
Minogue is launching a similar Supreme Court bid after he received images online by the same artist - Patrick Valenza - that were stopped by the prison.
Minogue bombed the Russell Street Police Headquarters in 1986, killing Constable Angela Taylor and injuring 22 others.
He later killed another man in jail with gym weights hidden in a pillow case.
Minogue appeared in the Supreme Court via video link for a directions hearing on Friday.
He said he was unable to secure legal representation for an upcoming hearing and was having difficulty accessing materials for the case as he was in 22-hour lockdown.
Barely literate when first incarcerated, Minogue now has studied university degrees and holds a PhD.
He said on Friday he "shouldn't have to beg" to enjoy his rights in prison.
Lawyer Debra Coombs, for Barwon Prison, said Minogue might see the decision to grant Haigh access to the images as "capricious", but that was the decision made.
"The subject of these pictures seems to be by the same artist, which has been taken objection to by the prison," she said.
Ms Coombs said although the images were by the same artist, they were different pictures.
In October last year, Minogue said he would challenge legal moves to keep him locked up for life under proposed legislation by the Andrews government.
He has so far served more than 30 years in jail.
His bid to access art in jail will be heard on May 3.
Australian Associated Press
