A notorious bank robber who gained infamy by organizing a series of armed robberies over a 10-year spree is reportedly so ill he could die just days before being sentenced.
Sources close to Kym Allen Parsons, 73, claim he is “suffering” from late-stage terminal cancer and should be released from custody to end his life with a voluntary assisted dying kit in the Medical Center’s possession. Flinders South Australia.
They claimed the Adelaide man nicknamed the ‘Bicycle Bandit’ is in such bad shape he may not live to see his original June 28 sentencing date.
At an urgent hearing in South Australia’s Supreme Court on Thursday, Parsons asked a judge to sentence him “as soon as possible”.
Judge Sandi McDonald said at the hearing that she was not ready to sentence Parsons, but moved up the sentencing date four days to next Monday.
Kym Allen Parsons, 73, has confessed to being the so-called Bicycle Bandit who committed a series of armed bank robberies between 2004 and 2014.
Defense lawyer James Marcus previously requested that Parsons be released on bail under house arrest for “mercy”.
He said his clientwho is currently in custody at the Adelaide Detention Centre, “feels very unwell and is suffering”, but wanted to be sentenced before he died.
“On reflection, he does not wish to enter into the VAD proceedings until His Honor has passed judgment, so some of today’s urgency may dissipate,” Marcus told the court on Thursday.
Judge McDonald said the earliest she could sentence him was Monday, despite a request to do so before 2pm on Thursday.
“I think the best thing I could do, to do justice to the process, to the victims and to all the parties involved, would be to sentence Mr. Parsons on Monday,” Justice said.
“Is this tolerable to you, Mr. Parsons?” she asked.
He replied, “Yes, thank you very much, your honor.”
A source close to Parsons told the Advertiser he had “literally two weeks to live”.
It comes after Parsons pleaded guilty to 10 counts of armed robbery, one count of attempted armed robbery and firearms charges for crimes committed between 2004 and 2014. the advertiser reported.
Through tears he read a statement in which he admitted to being the masked and armed bandit and promised to return the money. He had stolen $358,976.90, attributing his actions to “illogical and irrational” thinking.
Earlier this week, Parsons, who may only have days to live, tearfully confessed to being the ‘Bicycle Bandit.’
One of the traumatized victims of Parsons’ robbery spree has asked to remain behind bars for the rest of his life, saying not to do so would be “getting away with murder”.
The former bank worker, who has stage four cancer and may have less than a year to live, said Parsons should spend the rest of his life, however short, behind bars.
“People can say I’m inhuman, I don’t care… the law is the law, a sentence is a sentence, and he has to be held accountable,” she told the Advertiser.
‘You did wrong and not just once… it was 10 fucking times, almost 11… you are where you belong and you should not have access to your VAD equipment while you are there.
“Parsons pleaded guilty, but he won’t serve his full sentence…if he has his team, then he has a way to give himself a way out and basically get away with it.”
Parsons would rob banks by parking a bicycle outside and entering with his face hidden by a balaclava helmet.
If the teller didn’t pass up the cash, Parsons would become more threatening and sometimes shoot.
Parson admitted to stealing $358,976.90 during his 10-month bank robbery
Parsons was first caught on bank security cameras in the South Australian town of Mannum in 2004, and attacked 10 banks in the state over the next five years before disappearing from view.
In 2011, the same man is suspected of suddenly reappearing robbing banks in Sydney.
He would ride his bicycle to the branch he intended to rob, park his bicycle in front (sometimes he even carried it with him) and enter the bank wearing sunglasses, a bicycle helmet or a hat to hide his face.
Once at the counter, he would point the gun, usually a Russian AK-47-style semi-automatic rifle, at the bank employee and present the bag to be filled.
If those demands were not met, he would become increasingly threatening and fire at least three times.
During a robbery in Balaklava in 2008, Parsons used the rifle to threaten a police officer who responded to the robbery alarm.