PROTECTING THE GUILTY

And so it is on again. And you wonder when will it ever end. Another serial sex offender is out on the loose in this community and you are not allowed to know his name or see his photo. He could be living next to you. Or next to your children’s school.

This one has just finished his period on parole and his identity is protected by an Extended Supervision Order. Even though he is among Australia’s worst, most predatory, paedophiles in Australian history.

He was a member of a calculating paedophile ring involving his own wife and the evil Mr. Baldy. Three of them teamed up while in prison.

They fantasized about building a prison farm where they would molest the attractive children and use the others as slaves.

Within weeks of his release from Sale prison in 1989, Mr. Baldy began reoffending with help from his accomplices.  The wife of the child molesting group had taken some victims-to-be to visit him in jail in the 1980s.

The Herald Sun has campaigned hard to get these names and photos released. I tried to name one serial rapist on 3AW earlier this month and was censored by 3AW. They had to do their job and protect their licence. I had to do mine.

I actually named that rapist on my website hinch.net that night.

So here we go again. The latest man being protected by the Government pleaded guilty to more than 80 sex offences in the 1980s.  A judge  described the paedophile ring as ‘depraved and wicked’. When the man appealed his sentence the judge said ‘In over 30 years involvement in criminal law, this case is the worst of its kind I have encountered.’

The despicable human being he was talking about – and I’ll try to name him -- is Gordon Taylor. He was jailed for 23 years but released in 2003.  His wife Deborah Taylor was jailed for three years for holding down a child while he was raped.

Apparently he is one of 18 serial paedophiles who have been released on Extended Supervision Orders. How many have re-offended? We are not allowed to know.

The sick irony here is that we applauded when the Government appeared to get tough. Last month they announced  they were amending the 2005  Serious Sex Offenders Monitoring Act, so the Secretary of the Department of Justice could apply to the County or Supreme Court for a supervision order where a sex offender is assessed as posing a serious risk to the community of re-offending. Premier John Brumby said  offenders could be forced to accept restrictions on travel and changing addresses. Where they worked and where they lived and impose curfews.

Nobody mentioned to us that they could return to the community incognito and melt back into the community without the public knowing who they are or where they are. They didn’t  trumpet that minor point.

Police Minister Tim Holding said in 2005 ‘The public can be reassured that every precaution is being taken to protect the community against these people.’  And Corrections Minister Bob Cameron said ‘The new scheme will….. result in enhanced community safety.’

As they used to say: Tell that to the Marines. Who’s looking after the children.

Wednesday, May 21, 08

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2008