Mother seeks answers for 'heinous' crime

Bridgette Porter, known as Biddy, was killed by a teenager in 2020 in the NSW central north.

On the fourth anniversary of her death, Biddy's mother says she was left in the dark and unsupported by the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) over the case, which has been shrouded in secrecy to protect the identity of the underage killer.

"Because of the suppression orders that were placed over [Biddy's] identity we haven't been able to speak publicly about her in media and what happened to her," Rebekah Porter said.

"It can be such a horrific crime, but your child is just completely forgotten, unknown and swept aside."

A petition, #justice4BiddyPorter by Advocacy Australia is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the DPP's handling of the case and has attracted 12,000 signatures as of July 26.

It's being sponsored by Ms Porter's local member, independent Phil Donato, who said Biddy's parents were "the living victims of a heinous crime" and had been treated unfairly.

"It beggars belief what Biddy's parents endured, not only with the circumstances of their child's death, but in how the matter was dealt with by the state-based agencies," Mr Donato said in a statement.

"I pledged to do whatever I could do to assist Biddy's parents seek justice for their daughter, and effect change so that they can find some peace and try to prevent others from being let down by the system."

The petition is also calling for a coronial inquest into the circumstances surrounding Biddy's death.

"It was a very, very heinous and brutal way that she died and it was extraordinarily violent and gruesome," Ms Porter said.

"It's never going to bring back Biddy - she's gone, unfortunately and devastatingly - but I do hope that questions will be answered by those inquests."

Biddy's killer was given a special verdict of "act proven but not criminally responsible", as the teen had a mental health impairment at the time. Legally, they cannot be identified.

Ms Porter said she learnt details of Biddy's death through the media because she was initially denied access to documents from her daughter's case.

She said the DPP at first refused her the opportunity to see the statement of agreed facts and then "relented".

She also believes she should be granted permission to read the 41-page brief of evidence to understand the sentencing of Biddy's killer.

"We just want transparency and accountability from the DPP and access to those documents so that we can make sure that the way that they proceeded was just for Bridgette," the Orange resident said.

"We don't know all the facts yet. We don't know what evidence was put into Bridget's trial that allowed for the outcome that we got."

ACM has been granted permission by Ms Porter to publish her daughter's name and image.

The Mental Health Review Tribunal now oversees the killer's fate and has the power to release them back into the community without consulting the victim's family - something Ms Porter is hoping to change.

She was "shocked" to hear that her daughter's killer was granted day leave from a mental health facility.

"Less than three years later, she had already been given access to day outings for her therapeutic purposes, in public places - without the public knowing how dangerous she was," Ms Porter said.

"Although we made submissions to say we didn't want that, they simply didn't listen to us."

In a statement the DPP said the brief of evidence contains highly distressing and extremely sensitive evidence.

"After close consideration of this matter, it was determined it was not in the public interest to release the brief," it said in a statement to ACM.

"The Office has previously offered and continues to be willing to meet with the family to read the statement of agreed facts."

It also said when an offender has been placed in the custody of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, they are considered a forensic patient until it's decided they are safe to release.

"This involves consideration of a number of factors, including whether their release would endanger themselves or others," it said.

"For matters involving young offenders, sentencing principles include a focus on rehabilitation over other purposes of sentencing."

The regional NSW town where Biddy was killed cannot be named to protect the identity of Biddy's killer, but Ms Porter believes that it's in the public's interest to know where violent crimes occur.

"I definitely think that people should know about the crimes that are happening in their own towns," Ms Porter said.

"We're putting all the resources and all the efforts into protecting a young offender at the expense of the public knowing details of the town and knowing what crimes happened in it," she said.

"This is one of the worst crimes in Australia committed by one child [killing] another and it should be known - the public should have been made aware."

When Ms Porter asked the DPP whether she could speak about her daughter's death or even post about it on social media, she said she received "really complicated answers".

Four years after her daughter's death she discovered she could give news media permission to use her daughter's name and image.

The mother feels that if she was told this earlier, she could have sought public support closer to her daughter's death.

"The suppression was to protect the identity of her killer, but it's been exceptionally painful for us. It made us feel like she didn't matter," Ms Porter said.

"We didn't understand that we could have [told the media] from the start.

"I think that the DPP needs to consult with families beforehand to find out if they actually want the name to be suppressed," she said.

"And we would have had the public support which would have made the difference when you're grieving."

For more information on the petition for Biddy Porter visit www.justice4biddyporter.com.

Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.