Retired Detective Superintendent Mark Ainsworth, the former top cop who helped put Gerard Baden-Clay behind bars, has spoken out about the convicted killer ahead of his looming parole date. Ainsworth revealed that Baden-Clay still wears his wedding ring in prison, despite murdering his wife Allison almost 15 years ago.
Allison Baden-Clay was murdered by her husband on April 19, 2012. Gerard reported her missing from the family’s Brookfield home, west of Brisbane, on the morning of April 20, 2012. Her body was found 10 days later by a canoeist on a creek bank under a bridge.
The case is back in the spotlight with Gerard eligible for release in 2027 and is being profiled in 7NEWS’ Kiss and Kill vodcast series. In an upcoming episode, it is learned that Baden-Clay still wears his wedding ring in prison.
Ainsworth said the Baden-Clay case stood out above all others he worked on. He recalled seeing through Baden-Clay’s carefully constructed facade at Allison’s 2012 funeral, describing his tears as “crocodile tears.” Ainsworth noted that Baden-Clay’s stories didn’t add up, including the scratches on his face and his behaviour.
Criminologist Associate-Professor Claire Ferguson said Baden-Clay’s manipulation was apparent from the moment he dialled triple zero. She pointed out that when police arrived, he was wearing a suit and serving them tea in china teacups, which is not normal at a missing person’s scene.
Ainsworth highlighted that one criterion for parole is admission to the offence, and Baden-Clay has not admitted to what he did. If released, one of his parole conditions will be that he is fitted with a GPS tracking device. Ferguson remains cautious about his rehabilitation prospects, saying she would be very cautious in thinking he could be rehabilitated into a non-manipulative and genuine member of society.
