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AAP
AAP
National
Laine Clark

Qld murderer Nicholson makes parole bid

Julie Nicholson disappeared on the Gold Coast in July 2003 and her body has never been found. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO) (AAP)

A Queensland man who bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer almost 20 years ago has made a bid for parole.

Clive Anthony Nicholson, 73, was found guilty of his wife Julie's murder by a Supreme Court jury in February 2006 and received a life sentence.

She disappeared on the Gold Coast in July 2003 and her body has never been found.

In August 2017, Queensland enacted a "no body, no parole" law.

It ensured parole was automatically refused for criminals found guilty of homicide offences when the victim's body has not been located.

However, the Queensland Parole Board can grant parole if a prisoner has cooperated with investigators and provided them with the last known location of the victim's remains.

At his trial, the court was told Nicholson had dumped his wife's body in the Southport Seaway.

In a bail application last year it was revealed Nicholson told police in January 2019 that he had left his wife's body at another location, in Cedar Grove bushland southwest of Brisbane.

However, when he took officers to the site her remains could not be located.

The board dismissed Nicholson's July 2021 parole application.

But Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Peter Davis in December last year ordered that the ruling be set aside and granted a fresh review for further consideration by the parole board.

Board deputy president Peter Shields on Thursday adjourned a parole hearing for a day to consider the relevance of material provided by counsel assisting Tim Ryan.

After hearing the application, the board is expected to publish its decision on whether Nicholson has given "satisfactory cooperation" in the homicide investigation to identify the location of his wife's remains.

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