A man who stabbed another man to death during a violent rivalry for the affection of the same woman could be released on parole for the third time in September.
South Australian man James Fricker was 18 years old when he stabbed a man to death on a garden path outside the victim's home in February 1985.
The court heard on the night of the murder, the woman was at the victim's home, and Fricker waited outside the window for more than an hour.
When the victim tried to chase Fricker away, he refused to leave and stabbed him numerous times in the upper body.
Their rivalry had spurred several previous fights including one instance when Fricker violently attacked the victim with a baseball bat.
He was convicted of murder by a jury in August 1986 with the court labelling it "a crime of passion".
He was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 18 years.
That term was extended on three occasions for bad behaviour while in prison including unlawful wounding, assault, causing grievous bodily harm and escaping from custody.
According to the court's judgment, details were "scant" as to why he was released into the community on parole after 17 years.
The court heard he was twice sent back to prison for breaching his parole with numerous offences including serious criminal trespass, theft and endangering life.
Fricker eligible for parole in September
On Thursday, Justice David Peek set a new non-parole period which ends in about two months' time.
He found Fricker had supports in place to help him with his substance abuse problems and reasonable possibility of finding work.
"I conclude that it appears reasonable to expect that the applicant will be able to find work soon after his release on parole owing to his eagerness to do so, taken with his additional experience and qualifications gained during his last period on parole in 2012," he said.
Justice Peek found he had also demonstrated an improvement in refraining from resorting to violence.
"I fix a non-parole period of 19 months to commence from the date of the cancellation of his parole on February 2, 2016," Justice Peek said.
This would mean Fricker would be eligible for parole in September.
The court heard the prosecution and the parole board were not opposed to the setting of a new possible release date.
