The man who murdered nine-year-old Debbie Keegan in her own bedroom in 1987 will not be set free on day release after previously having his security classification downgraded.
Rodney Thomas Clarke was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988, but after serving 31 years in Lithgow jail, his security classification was reduced to the lowest possible grade, C3, meaning he was able to leave the prison on day release.
However, following news of the downgrade, the NSW Commissioner of Corrective Services Peter Severin has now overturned the decision to allow him day release.

Clarke climbed through nine-year-old Debbie Keegan’s bedroom window and raped her three times before smothering her with a pillow until she suffocated
In 1987, Clarke climbed through nine-year-old Debbie Keegan’s bedroom window and raped her three times before smothering her with a pillow until she suffocated.
Debbie Keegan’s younger sister Sarah – who was seven years old when the attack took place and in the same room – said the idea of Clarke being on the streets again made her ‘nervous, angry and sick in the stomach’.
‘Knowing that he can be out in the community, even though he is on day release and is being monitored, makes me uncomfortable and concerned,’ she said.
Speaking to 9NEWS, a spokesperson for the prison stressed the importance of allowing supervised day release for offenders ‘to ensure [they] have the opportunity to assimilate into the community successfully’.

Clarke was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988, but having now served 31 years, his security classification was reduced, meaning he was permitted supervised day release
With Clarke’s monitored day release sparking outrage from the community, Mr Severin stepped in.
‘Following community concerns, the Commissioner has suspended escorted day release for this offender, pending review,’ a spokeswoman said.
In 2005, Judge Peter Hidden granted Clarke’s application for a parole date 28 years after his initial sentencing.
Clarke (who was 21 at the time of the attack) was denied parole in both 2015 and 2017, but will be eligible to apply again next year.
Speaking to reporters last year, Sarah Keegan said she is on a mission to keep Clarke behind bars.
‘Rodney Thomas Clarke is in his early 50s now, still very much capable of committing heinous crimes against our children,’ she said.
‘This man shows zero remorse for his crimes…now this definition of evil thinks he should be paroled into society once more.
‘We do not accept this monster living in our community, endangering our children.’

The Commissioner of Corrective Services has now overturned the day release decision