Qld: Childers hostel arsonist appeals life sentence
Childers hostel arsonist ROBERT PAUL LONG has appealed against his conviction afterbeing jailed for life over the fire which killed 15 backpackers.
LONG, aged 38, was ordered last month to serve a mandatory life term -- at least 20years under Queensland law.
A Brisbane Supreme Court jury convicted him of starting the Palace Backpacker Hostel fire.
The itinerant fruit picker had links to two other fires before burning down the century-oldhostel at Childers, 300km north of Brisbane, in June, 2000.
Legal aid defence lawyer PETER DELIBALTAS has filed seven grounds for appeal on behalfof LONG after Queensland Attorney-General ROD WELFORD lodged his own appeal on March 21on the grounds the sentence was grossly inadequate.
LONG pleaded NOT guilty to lighting the fire and murdering 27-year-old Western Australiantwins KELLY and STACEY SLARKE, who were among the 15 dead.
The appeal also argues media coverage of the case before the trial led to a miscarriageof justice.
The date for the appeal hearing is yet to be set.
AAP RTV ap/sc/wz/rp
KEYWORD: LONG (BRISBANE)
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