Convicted Killer Admits to Murder After Serving 16 Years in Prison in Australia

Key Highlights :

1. Duggan was deported back to the UK after serving 16 years in prison in Australia for the murder of 19-year-old Rebecca Ryle.

2. He admitted committing the murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

3. The family of his victim expressed anger that he had been released and her brother Andy said while they were glad he would never set foot in Australia again he found it “horrific that that the British public is subjected to him, and that he can start afresh.”

4. He was released in March last year and came back to Liverpool.

5. Duggan was brought before Liverpool Crown Court this week on Monday and admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

     James Duggan, a convicted killer who was deported back to the UK after spending 16 years in prison in Australia, has now admitted to committing the murder of 19-year-old would-be nurse Rebecca Ryle. In 2004, he was sentenced to life in prison for strangling Rebecca while walking her home after a chance meeting in a pub in Perth. Rebecca had recently emigrated to Australia with her family to start a new life, but Duggan's heinous crime cut that life short.

     Though Duggan was ordered to serve a minimum of 11 and a half years, he was not released until March of 2020. He was deported back to Liverpool, which he had left as an 11-year-old boy, and the family of his victim expressed anger at his release. They feared that he could start a new life and not be held accountable for his heinous crime.

     The murder was made the subject of a book by Martin McKenzie-Murray, entitled "A Murder Without Motive." In November 2019, the Australian Parole Board refused to free Duggan due to his lack of acknowledgement of wrongdoing and apparent lack of remorse.

     This week, Duggan was brought before Liverpool Crown Court for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. In August 2020, magistrates imposed the order on the instructions of the Home Secretary due to the conviction of murder, which was suspected to have a sexual motive. Duggan had formed an intimate relationship with a woman and was jailed for 26 weeks in February for both the breach and assaulting her by punching her in the stomach.

     The sentencing judge noted that Duggan had shown signs of recognition of his offending and the need to comply with the court's orders. He was given a nine month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work with 30 days of rehabilitation activities. He was also required to attend a probation relationships programme and undergo drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

     Though Rebecca's family is relieved that Duggan will never set foot in Australia again, they are still saddened that the British public has to be subjected to him. They hope that by sharing Rebecca's story, people will be made aware of the monster that is still at large.

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