In just two weeks Matthew De Gruchy will be a free man.
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The 41-year-old has spent his adult life in jail for slaughtering his mother and siblings at their Albion Park Rail home 23 years ago.
He won't be allowed back in the Illawarra or Shoalhaven and can't contact, intimidate or harass any members of his victims' family.
The only family members he can communicate with are the ones on his dad's side. They are willing to help him adjust to life on the outside.
The NSW Parole Authority on Friday directed that De Gruchy be released from Long Bay Jail between August 9 and 16.
He was warned to seek help from his parole officer should he have trouble integrating back into society and he is required to undergo constant psychological counselling.
He has the support of his father but De Gruchy himself has raised concerns about his transition after such a long time in custody.
De Gruchy was 18 when he bludgeoned to death his mother Jennifer and two siblings Sarah, 13, and Adrian, 15, during a frenzied attack in their Shearwater Boulevarde home on March 12, 1996.
Jennifer's head and facial injuries were so severe the coroner required blood-match samples to identify her. Sarah also sustained significant head and facial injuries. Adrian had 21 wounds to his face and neck, and had been doused in petrol.
De Gruchy arrived at the home the next morning to tearfully "discover" the bodies. He maintained his innocence, but a jury thought otherwise.
The five-member panel handed down its finding at Parramatta Court as De Gruchy watched via video link from Long Bay Jail.
Dressed in prison greens, he showed no emotion throughout the hour-long proceedings.
The only words he uttered were "yes", when asked if he was Matthew De Gruchy and "okay, thank you" when asked to leave at the end of the hearing.
The panel members outlined the comprehensive list of conditions of De Gruchy's parole and said he is to return on December 4 when a progress report will be presented by his supervisors.
Earlier De Gruchy's legal representative Melissa Smith said her client had demonstrated he is not a risk to the community, and had a strong structured plan for post release.
He had obtained a bank account, Medicare card, tax file number, birth certificate, a photo ID card and a fork lift licence and Learner driver's licence.
She said his only priorities after 23 years in jail was to gain employment and get independent accommodation.
De Gruchy's sentence expires in June 2024. However, his earliest possible release date was June 21, 2017.
In November 2018, De Gruchy wrote to the NSW Parole Authority expressing his own concerns about "the limited support he felt he had, and the limited skills that he has at this point in time".
I believe he is dangerous and clearly his family, apart from his father, thinks so also, as part of his parole conditions are he is not to contact them. What does this tell you?
In handing down its ruling on Friday, the Authority warned De Gruchy that if he was having trouble meeting his conditions while on parole he should ask his parole officer for help.
Outside the court Peter Rolfe, support person for De Gruchy's uncle Ray Halliwell, addressed the media.
"I have just spoken to Ray Halliwell ... He feels that as three lives were taken De Gruchy should have been sentenced to three life terms. He should never have been released," Mr Rolfe said.
"He is of the opinion De Gruchy will always be a danger to society."
"I think the conditions adequately cover the situation. We just hope that he doesn't try to contact his uncle or aunt or any of the family.
"I don't think he will cope with life on the outside ... now he will have great difficulty to adjusting to life outside."
Mr Halliwell gave a written submission and did not oppose parole.
Howard Brown, Mr Halliwell's advocate in the parole hearing, agreed the family believed De Gruchy should be serving life.
"But we cannot undo what has occurred as a result of the original sentencing," Mr Brown told journalists outside.
"So what we have to ensure is that - knowing he is not going to be a candidate for the high-risk offenders legislation - during his period of release he is going to be closely supervised, given all the psychological help that he requires, because if we don't then you are setting him up to fail. And what none of us want is another victim.
"If he breaches then he goes back into custody because he hasn't been able to abide by those conditions then we've done our job to make sure that no one else becomes a victim.
"When we were in this place six weeks ago there was no provisions for a proper psychological plan.
"We now have that in place but it is obvious from the comments from his honour and the decision to review this in December that they still have concerns.
"The only way we are going to test this is to release him. That's why we didn't oppose the parole," Mr Brown said.
"We had to be logical about it despite the fact that it is a very painful process, knowing that there are other people who have committed far less serious murders and are in jail for the rest of their natural life."
The panel informed De Gruchy he was to comply with all reasonable directions, including with regard to the places he lives, programs he participates in, treatment, intervention and other related activities including employment, education and training.
He was told the "Corrections have backed you" ... "they think you can successfully carry through the period of parole".
"You have had particular difficulties we know and you are well aware of them and how you might have difficulties conditioning yourself in the community," the panel said.
"We ask that if you have any difficulties that you speak to your parole officer about it. If your parole officer can help you, you will be helped."
At the earlier hearing Katrina Curry, for the NSW Crown Solicitors Office, did not oppose De Gruchy's application for parole but said the state "obviously has concerns given that the extreme and violent nature of the events in this matter".
"Whilst the defender indicates he will have some support upon release the state submits that support is limited," Ms Curry said.
"And this is an offender who is going to need a significant level of support and guidance to assist him in reintegrating into the community after such a lengthy time in custody."
Belinda Neil, a former homicide detective who worked the case, is shocked Matthew has been granted parole.
"He bludgeoned to death three members of his family," she told the Mercury. "In November 2018 he himself says he has concerns about assimilating into society and yet he is allowed early parole eight months later.
"I believe he is dangerous and clearly his family, apart from his father, thinks so also, as part of his parole conditions are he is not to contact them. What does this tell you?"
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