13th Murderer: James Beauregard-Smith – Victims: Sandra Holland and her two young sons
James Beauregard-Smith is a convicted Australian rapist and triple murderer, currently serving a life prison sentence in SA.
In March 1978, James George Beauregard-Smith was convicted of strangling Sandra Holland and drowning her sons Craig, 9, and Scott, 11 on 13 July 1977.
When Mrs Holland, 32, told Beauregard-Smith that she wanted to end an affair and return to her husband, Beauregard-Smith knocked her unconscious on July 13, 1977, then strangled her. He then chased Ms. Holland's son, Craig, into a bathroom where the boy's brother, Scott, was having a bath, and drowned both boys. In 2000, forensic psychiatrist Ken O'Brien stated that unless there was "meaningful intervention . . .", Beauregard-Smith would remain a danger to the community, particularly to women.
The bodies of Sandra Holland and her eldest son, Scott, were found by police under trees and branches in Woodside. Craig Holland was found buried under the floorboards of the family home.
Sandra Holland and her
drowned sons Craig, 9, and Scott, 11
On 10 November 1992, Beauregard-Smith was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment for escaping custody.
On 8 April 1994, one week after his release from prison on parole, he raped a girl at Cudlee Creek in South Australia.
On 15 November 1994, Beauregard-Smith was convicted of the rape and was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment, later reduced to eight years on appeal. Due to Beauregard-Smith being on parole when the rape was committed his parole in the relation to the sentence for murder was revoked and he became liable to serve the balance of that sentence. A non-parole period of 15 years was set to begin 25 November 1994, the date when the applicant was sentenced in relation to the conviction for rape.
In 2009, the then Adelaide Premier, Mike Rann, told the Adelaide Advertiser that there was "zero chance" he would allow Beauregard-Smith out of prison.
· Rann vows no parole for triple murderer – ABC News – 6 Aug 2009
Beauregard-Smith, now 77, has been in maximum security jails in SA for over 40 years. If he lives a further 3 years to 80, based on the average annual cost of Maximum Security Incarceration in 2020, the cost to the SA Govt Public Purse will have been $7.525 million circa ($175,000 p.a. X 43 years).
Questions re 13th Murderer: James Beauregard-Smith
Should the SA state government amend its criminal codes so that where the level of proof is Beyond Any Doubt of Guilt that the death penalty may be sentenced in the event of another attempted rape and ultimate murder because Justice for the Innocent Victim should be a consideration amongst the Purposes of Sentencing?
Should other states and territories similarly amend their criminal codes?
Write responses to above two questions re 13th Murderer on 'Peer Reviewer's Responses to Sentences Form' Word document