A man who terrorized a state in a 10-year bank robbery spree has been sentenced to 35 years in prison even as cancer eats away at his body and he makes plans to imminently end his life through a voluntary assisted dying procedure. .
Kym Parsons, 73, robbed 11 banks across South Australia between 2004 and 2014, armed with a rifle and wearing a black balaclava.
He evaded capture for years before South Australian Police arrested him on October 13, 2023.
He originally pleaded not guilty to the crimes, before suddenly admitting to his crime spree last week after being given just days or weeks to live.
In a courtroom packed with victims of Parsons’ brutal robberies, Supreme Court Justice Sandi McDonald gave her sentencing speech, telling Parsons, who was sitting calmly in the dock at the remand center, that his conduct was ” morally reprehensible.”
“On his first day at ANZ Bank in May 2004 he saw the terror in his victims’ eyes and yet he returned and repeated that behavior again and again,” Judge McDonald said.
In a July 2007 robbery at the BankSA branch in Mt Pleasant, he used a motorcycle helmet to disguise his face.
Kym Parsons, 73, robbed 11 banks across South Australia between 2004 and 2014, armed with a rifle and wearing a black balaclava.
Parsons wore black balaclavas during his robberies, but originally pleaded not guilty to the crimes, before suddenly turning around to admit his crime spree last week.
He brandished his firearm, shouted “this is a robbery, give me all your money” and took $31,000.
He told the bank tellers that if anyone tried to follow him, they would be shot.
On 14 September 2007, he attacked the ANZ bank in Yankalilla wearing a balaclava and dark sunglasses.
He pointed his rifle directly at a bank teller.
At one point, he said, “hurry up or there will be blood on the floor.”
He took almost $44,000.
Parsons had previously robbed the ANZ Yankalilla branch in 2006 and the BankSA branch in 2005.
Judge McDonald said it was an “extraordinary feature” of his offending that he returned to the same targets on multiple occasions.
“No doubt realizing that perhaps the same staff were working there, staff who would be re-traumatized by their conduct.”
On June 27, 2008, he attacked the ANZ bank in Balaklava, but the robbery did not go as planned.
A police officer entered the bank and asked if everything was okay.
Parsons confronted the officer with his firearm, the court heard, forcing him out the door.
Parsons then fled through the back entrance of the bank.
He climbed a fence to escape, but cut himself, leaving some blood at the scene.
The court heard that DNA evidence taken from the fence formed part of the brief against Parsons and led to his arrest.
Speaking outside court after the sentencing, one of Parsons’ victims said she was happy with the 35-year jail term.
“The police officer was forced to make a decision that day as he was also armed,” Judge McDonald said.
“It was a choice to shoot, and potentially injure or kill an innocent bystander, or not to shoot.
‘He chose not to shoot. It’s a choice she has had to live with for the rest of her life.
“I hope this has been made easier by knowing that your conduct resulted in you taking a backdoor route that ultimately led to evidence that has been a crucial part of identifying you as the person responsible for these crimes.” .
In total, Parsons stole about $358,000 during his spree.
Judge McDonald said some of Parsons’ victims had suffered trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder from his actions.
SA Health granted Parsons access to VAD earlier this year, before he pleaded guilty to his offenses and went into custody.
Judge McDonald sentenced Parsons to 35 years in prison with a non-parole period of 28 years.
“When sentencing him, the important thing is that there be a public denunciation of his conduct,” he said.
He said he saw “no real explanation” for his crimes but accepted his guilty plea was motivated by “remorse”.
He has made the decision to try, in some way, to atone for his behavior by pleading guilty.
“He has attempted to give his victims some answers, some closure, in circumstances where, in all likelihood, he would have died long before there was any real prospect of a trial taking place.”
Parsons will be transferred imminently to Flinders Medical Centre, where he will be able to access his voluntary assisted dying kit.
It is understood that Mr Parsons has only days or weeks to live, and that the cancer is eating away at his bones, brain and lungs.
South Australia passed its VAD laws in 2021 and eligible terminally ill patients can access the procedure from 2023.
The procedure is available to prisoners.
Speaking outside court after the sentencing, one of Parsons’ victims said she was happy with the 35-year jail term.