A convicted rapist whose teen victim later took her own life has complained that his electronic ankle bracelet is “embarrassing”.
Darren Michael Costello, 43, received a 13-year jail sentence for raping a 14-year old in November 1995.
He followed her after she left a Brisbane skating rink after she took a short cut near a creek. She hanged herself a year later.
In 2000, his gang partook in several Sydney gang rapes involving teenage girls. Now he’s free.
At the time of the brutal attack, Costello was on parole for attempting to mug a heavily pregnant woman while armed with with a baseball bat.
But late last year, Costello applied to the Queensland Supreme Court to have the bracelet removed.
He raped a teenager. Now, exactly two years later, this news has shocked us all.
The Courier Mail reports Costello claimed the device made him feel “uncomfortable, paranoid, uneasy and anxious … with everyone knowing my personal business”. Applying to the Queensland Supreme Court on December 19 or the right to take the device off, he said:
“I feel the monitoring device is an obstacle and barrier in my way from (sic) being able to try and live a normal life and engage with people. I am very uncomfortable by (sic) the noise it creates and am paranoid that everybody knows that I have a monitoring device.”
Costello was released four years ago and ever since then he has been monitored by a parole officer.
On three separate occasions in 2012, he received “contravention notices” for either removing the device or being late to report to authorities.
The case will return to court on February 3.
Top Comments
I think if ever realised into public places they,,nonces,,should be branded on their faces for all to see,, that is my second choice,,first
would be life for ruining a life,,by hangings
Does our justice system have the ability to revisit his sentence (if indeed he was sentenced BEFORE the young victim killed herself) and take into account the impact his actions had on her decision to do so? Does anyone know? But no doubt the justice or injustice system as I call it would probably say that he couldn't know what the outcome would be.