A MURDERER jailed for at least 16 years over a drunken double stabbing in Wodonga is continuing to fight his conviction.
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Michael Anthony Crocker had drunk 30 cans of beer in the lead up to the murder on the day of the first 2010 AFL grand final.
He attacked Wodonga father of three Adam Fielding and his friend Amanda Lee and was given a maximum 22 year jail term for murder and recklessly causing serious injury in 2012.
The pair had attended Crocker’s home following a phone call to Ms Lee over a $200 debt.
Crocker had attacked them with a serrated knife, first stabbing Ms Lee in the stomach, lacerating her liver.
He then stabbed Mr Fielding in the back with enough force to shave a bone fragment from his rib.
Mr Fielding dropped straight to the ground and Ms Lee drove him to the Wodonga Hospital, and he was later transferred to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
A judge later noted Mr Fielding – who died in the hospital two days after the attack – had “had no idea what was coming” until he was stabbed.
Ms Lee spent 10 days in hospital recovering from her injuries.
The knife was never recovered.
Crocker had claimed self defence, which a Supreme Court jury rejected.
After two unsuccessful appeal attempts, the former jockey and heroin addict with a lengthy criminal history is again planning to appeal.
Crocker, now aged 58, has successfully applied for copies of Ambulance Victoria documents relating to the transfer of the late victim to hospital in Melbourne.
He had initially been denied access by the Freedom of Information Commissioner, but recently had the decision overturned in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
VCAT member Elisabeth Wentworth noted the request was to support “a potential appeal and petition for mercy to the Attorney General”.
The Attorney General has the power to pardon convicted criminals, which can remove the sentence handed down.
Crocker argued there was a potential conflict during his Supreme Court trial regarding how Mr Fielding was transported to Melbourne prior to his death.
He was granted access to one redacted document but was denied access to a further seven documents.
Crocker could be aged in his mid-70s by the time he is released from jail.
He is jailed until at least 2028.
