Killer allowed to challenge cigarette tax

MELBOURNE, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- One of Australia's most notorious killers can sue authorities over a tax imposed on prisoners' cigarettes, a court ruled Tuesday.

Julian Knight -- who killed seven people in what became known as the Hoddle Street Massacre in Melbourne in 1987 -- is required to get court permission for any legal action, the Herald Sun of Melbourne reported. He is classified as a "vexatious litigant" because of his penchant for filing lawsuits.

The Supreme Court in Victoria found Knight has what appear to be legitimate legal issues. Associate Justice Melissa Daly said the question is whether prisons can impose a levy on inmates without specific legislative authority.

Knight is a heavy smoker. The 20 percent tax he pays on cigarettes is used to pay for smoking cessation programs and nicotine patches for prisoners in the Port Philip Prison, where he is an inmate.

In 1987, after heavy beer drinking, Knight, armed with three weapons, opened fire on passersby in a Melbourne suburb, killing seven and wounding 19. He had dreamed of serving in the military but was unsuccessful as a cadet at the Royal Military College, doing well only in weapons courses.