A man who raped and murdered a woman as she slept in her Darwin home will tomorrow be released from prison to live in Adelaide despite breaching his parole four times.

Key points: Jonathan Bakewell murdered and raped Anne-Marie Culleton in 1988

Jonathan Bakewell murdered and raped Anne-Marie Culleton in 1988 Her sister, Eileen, has fought to keep him locked up

Her sister, Eileen, has fought to keep him locked up The SA Parole Board has decided to release him from prison

In 1988, Jonathan Peter Bakewell broke down the back door of the home of Parap woman Anne-Marie Culleton in the middle of the night while she was sleeping.

Bakewell strangled the 20-year-old repeatedly to stop her screaming and, after committing his crimes, left her body immersed in scalding hot water in the shower in an attempt to conceal the murder by advancing body decomposition.

He was sentenced in 1989 to life in prison, but he was released on parole in September 2016 after serving 28 years behind bars.

He was taken back into custody after breaching the conditions of his parole four times by using drugs.

He will be released from Yatala Labour Prison on Friday to live in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area.

He was transferred from Darwin to Adelaide in 2005 to be closer to his sick father.

In 2009, he won a High Court case that found that South Australia was responsible for managing his parole.

Sister afraid for women's safety

His victim's sister, Eileen Culleton, fought to keep Bakewell locked up by writing a 53-page submission to the South Australian Parole Board.

She said she feared for the safety of women who would live near Bakewell.

"I am horrified that the parole board is releasing this drug-addicted murderer back onto the streets after four drug breaches," she said.

"Bakewell took drugs the night he raped and murdered my sister, and I am petrified that he will repeat his crime."

Anne-Marie Culleton was raped and murdered in Darwin in 1988. ( Supplied: Culleton family )

Ms Culleton said Bakewell was the figure of "every woman's worst nightmare".

"He broke in and raped and murdered my sister, Anne-Marie, while she was asleep in her bed," she said.

"Every woman should feel safe in their own bed at night.

"I believe Bakewell is as dangerous today as the day he raped and murdered my sister. Nothing has changed."

'He does not represent a risk to the community'

Parole board chairwoman Frances Nelson QC said Bakewell's drug breaches had to be balanced with other factors, including that there had been no indication he would reoffend.

"He's been on parole for some time so we have been able to evaluate his performance," she said.

SA Parole Board chairwoman Frances Nelson QC. ( ABC: Lincoln Rothall )

"In our experience, which is quite considerable around the board table, he does not represent a risk to the community. "

Ms Nelson said Bakewell had otherwise been compliant while on parole, had reported for supervision and had never attempted to avoid drug testing.

"He's had a marriage — unfortunately his wife died not long ago — but that was a stable relationship, so there were some very positive factors," she said.

Ms Nelson said Bakewell, who had cancer and multiple sclerosis, would be electronically monitored.

"His health is so seriously compromised he really needs to be where he has access to appropriate hospital and medical services," she said.

Call for Government to review decision

Ms Culleton said the parole board's argument that Bakewell's medical conditions incapacitated him from committing similar crimes were illogical and ludicrous.

"I was contacted by members of the community who told me they saw him lifting wooden pallets and driving a car," she said.

"This is a 58-year-old man… Unless Bakewell is on his deathbed, he's dangerous."

Eileen Culleton with a photo of her sister, Anne-Marie. ( Supplied: Culleton family )

Ms Culleton called on the State Government to urgently review the parole board's decision.

"It is a total failing of duty of care for community safety for the parole board to keep releasing a drug taking rapist murderer back into the community," she said.

She said members of the public who knew or had met Bakewell during his brief stints in the community also wrote to the parole board expressing their concerns.

"They say he's been going around the community saying he's not really to blame for Anne-Marie's death and he shouldn't have got the sentence that he received," she said.

"How is this accepting responsibility for his crime? How does this demonstrate remorse?"

Ms Nelson said Bakewell had been interviewed on a number of occasions during which he consistently expressed remorse.

"One of the hardest parts of our job is dealing with victims because they have lost a loved one, and the effect on them is extraordinarily painful," she said.

"We completely understand that but we are bound by the law as it stands and our responsibility under the legislation."