Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Bennett [2021] QSC 48
SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND
CITATION: Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Bennett
[2021] QSC 48
PARTIES: ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF
QUEENSLAND
(applicant)
v
WILLIAM HENRY BENNETT
(respondent)
FILE NO/S: BS No 5182 of 2015
DIVISION: Trial Division
PROCEEDING: Application
ORIGINATING
COURT:
Supreme Court of Queensland at Brisbane
DELIVERED ON: Orders made on 9 March 2021, reasons delivered on 19
March 2021
DELIVERED AT: Brisbane
HEARING DATE: 5 March 2021
JUDGE: Davis J
ORDER: THE COURT being satisfied to the requisite standard that
the respondent, William Henry Bennett, has contravened
the requirements of the supervision order made by Justice
Dalton on 9 November 2015 and as amended by Justice
Boddice on 29 August 2016, Chief Justice Holmes on 26
March 2018 and Justice Ryan on 30 September 2019,
ORDERS THAT:
1. The respondent, William Henry Bennett, be released
from custody and continues to be subject to the
supervision order made by Justice Dalton on 9
November 2015 and as amended by Justice Boddice on
29 August 2016, Chief Justice Holmes on 26 March
2018 and Justice Ryan on 30 September 2019.
2. The applicant arrange for copies of the reports
prepared by Dr Josephine Sundin, dated 1 March 2021
and Dr Scott Harden, dated 21 February 2021, to be
provided to the respondent’s treating psychiatrist and
psychologist, and any other social worker, counsellor or
mental health professional involved in his treatment.
CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW - SENTENCE - SENTENCING ORDERS
- ORDERS AND DECLARATIONS RELATING TO
SERIOUS OR VIOLENT OFFENDERS OR DANGEROUS
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SEXUAL OFFENDERS - DANGEROUS SEXUAL
OFFENDER - GENERALLY - where the respondent was the
subject of a supervision order made on 9 November 2015
under the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 -
where he breached the supervision order by consuming illicit
substances - where this was the sixth contravention of the
supervision order - where the respondent admitted the
contravention - where the evidence of psychiatrists and a
psychologist is that the respondent resorted to substance abuse
as a reaction to stressors faced by him in the community -
where the evidence of the psychiatrists is that the respondent’s
risk can be adequately managed under the existing supervision
order - whether the respondent should be released subject to
the requirements of the existing supervision order.
Criminal Code, s 351
Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003, s 13, s 22,
s 23, s 24, s 43AA
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Bennett
[2020] QSC 141, related
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Fardon
[2011] QCA 111, considered
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Fardon
[2011] QCA 155, considered
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Fardon
[2013] QCA 299, considered
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Fardon
[2018] QSC 193, followed
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Francis
[2007] 1 Qd R 396, followed
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Nemo [2020]
QSC 140, cited
Attorney-General v Phineasa [2013] 1 Qd R 305, cited
Fardon v Attorney-General (Qld) (2004) 223 CLR 575, cited
COUNSEL: B Mumford for the applicant
S Robb for the respondent
SOLICITORS: GR Cooper, Crown Solicitor for the applicant
Legal Aid Queensland for the respondent
[1] William Henry Bennett has been the subject of a supervision order made under the
Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 (the DPSOA) since 9 November
2015. The Attorney-General alleges that Mr Bennett has contravened the terms of
the supervision order and seeks orders against him pursuant to s 22 of the DPSOA.
[2] On 9 March 2021, I made the following orders:
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“THE COURT being satisfied to the requisite standard that the
respondent, William Henry Bennett, has contravened the
requirements of the supervision order made by Justice Dalton on 9
November 2015 and as amended by Justice Boddice on 29 August
2016, Chief Justice Holmes on 26 March 2018 and Justice Ryan on
30 September 2019, ORDERS THAT:
1. The respondent, William Henry Bennett, be released from
custody and continues to be subject to the supervision order
made by Justice Dalton on 9 November 2015 and as amended
by Justice Boddice on 29 August 2016, Chief Justice Holmes
on 26 March 2018 and Justice Ryan on 30 September 2019.
2. The applicant arrange for copies of the reports prepared by
Dr Josephine Sundin, dated 1 March 2021 and Dr Scott Harden,
dated 21 February 2021, to be provided to the respondent’s
treating psychiatrist and psychologist, and any other social
worker, counsellor or mental health professional involved in his
treatment.”
[3] These are my reasons for making those orders.
History
[4] Mr Bennett was born in February 1979. He has just turned 42 years of age.
[5] On 22 May 2020, I made orders in relation to proceedings brought against Mr Bennett
for earlier contraventions of the supervision order and I published reasons for making
those orders on 29 May 2020.1 In those reasons, I analysed in some detail
Mr Bennett’s criminal history and his history under supervision. It is only necessary
then to record those things here by way of summary.
[6] As to Mr Bennett’s criminal history:
(a) Mr Bennett’s criminal history commenced while he was a juvenile;
(b) there were a number of convictions for drug offences and he graduated to
offences of dishonesty;
(c) Mr Bennett served a term of imprisonment of four years from November 1997
for a series of offences, including assaults which were of a sexual nature;
(d) Mr Bennett was charged again in July 2000 for offences of wilfully setting fire
to a building. Those offences occurred in 1996 and 1997 before his conviction
1 Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Bennett [2020] QSC 141.
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and sentence of four years’ imprisonment in November 1997. In 2000, he was
sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment2 but recommended for release on
parole after serving 18 months;
(e) the convictions which ultimately saw him the subject of proceedings under the
DPSOA were suffered in April 2011. He was sentenced to six years’
imprisonment for a series of offences, including assault with intent to commit
rape3 when he attacked a woman unknown to him.
[7] As to Mr Bennett’s history under supervision:
(a) the supervision order was, as already observed, made on 9 November 2015;
(b) in January 2016, just over two months after his release, Mr Bennett was
arrested as he had ingested cannabis in contravention of the supervision order.
The contravention was found to be proved, but he was released back onto the
supervision order (as amended) on 29 August 2016;
(c) Mr Bennett was arrested again in March 2017, about six months after being
released on 29 August 2016. On this occasion, he had unlawfully removed his
monitoring device. He was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for an
offence against s 43AA(2) of the DPSOA. He was then released back on
supervision on 26 March 2018;
(d) about two months after being released, he breached the supervision order again.
On this occasion, he had ingested buprenorphine and also accessed websites
promoting violent non-consensual sexual activity. The breaches were proved.
He was released back onto the supervision order in December 2018;
(e) in early April 2019 (about four months after being released), he tested positive
to methamphetamine and amphetamine and was against arrested. He was
released on 1 October 2019;
(f) on 9 December 2019 (about two months after being released for the previous
breach), he tested positive to methamphetamine and buprenorphine and was
2 In relation to the offences of arson.
3 Criminal Code, s 351.
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again taken back into custody. He was released back onto the supervision order
on 10 June 2020.4
[8] Originally, the supervision order was made for a period of five years and was due to
expire on 17 November 2020. By force of ss 23 and 24 of the DPSOA and by force
of an order made on 30 September 2019, the supervision order now expires on 17
November 2024.
The current contravention
[9] Mr Bennett was arrested on 12 November 2020, some five months after being
released on 10 June 2020. This is his sixth contravention of the order since it was
first made against him on 9 November 2015. As the history detailed above shows, he
has actually spent very little time in the community subject to the order.
[10] The particulars of the current contravention appear in the application filed by the
Attorney-General seeking orders under the DPSOA in these terms:
“The Present Contravention
7. On 12 November 2020, Patricia Dennis, the Acting Principal
Adviser with the High Risk Offender Management Unit within
Queensland Corrective Services, made a complaint to a
Magistrate alleging that the respondent has contravened
requirement (25) of the supervision order, namely ‘abstain from
the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs for the duration of
this order’.
8. On 10 June 2020, the day on which he was released by an order
made by Davis J,5 a reasonable direction was issued to the
respondent requiring that he abstain from the consumption of
alcohol and illicit drugs.
9. On 10 November 2020, at the third attempt, the respondent
provided a urine sample that presumptively tested positive for
the presence of buprenorphine. That sample was confirmed to
be positive for the presence of buprenorphine, at a level of
6 nanograms (the accepted cut off is 2 nanograms). Ms Dennis
deposes that the respondent also returned positive results for
buprenorphine on 21 October 2020 (at a level of 35 nanograms)
and 27 October 2020 (at a level of 4 nanograms).
10. Ms Dennis deposes that, prior to contravention proceedings
being initiated, the respondent was provided with opportunities
to address his substance use through ongoing treatment in the
4 Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Bennett [2020] QSC 141.
5 Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Bennett [2020] QSC 141.
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community with a forensic psychologist and a psychiatrist
specialising in addiction. Ms Dennis notes that, whilst in the
community, the respondent has also attended counselling
programs at Drug Arm since 12 October 2020 and Narcotics
Anonymous since 22 October 2020.
11. On 12 November 2020, a warrant was signed by a Magistrate
pursuant to Section 20 of the Act, and the respondent appeared
in Court having been arrested on that warrant.
12. The respondent has been detained in custody since that time, a
period of about four months.
13. On 27 November 2020, the respondent pleaded guilty in the
Brisbane Magistrates Court to one offence against Section
43AA of the Act. The particulars of that offence mirror the
contravention alleged in this instance. The respondent was
convicted and sentenced to two months imprisonment, wholly
suspended for eight months.”
[11] Mr Bennett admits the current contraventions and on 27 November 2020 he pleaded
guilty to offences of contravening the order.6 The particulars of those offences are
the same as the particulars of the contraventions alleged against him.
The medical evidence
[12] Forensic psychiatrists, Drs Scott Harden and Josephine Sundin interviewed
Mr Bennett and provided reports for the purposes of the current proceedings.
Mr Nick Smith is a psychologist who has been treating Mr Bennett. Dr Gregory Apel
is a psychiatrist who specialises in drug and alcohol addiction. He has been treating
Mr Bennett. Both Mr Smith and Dr Apel also provided reports.
[13] Dr Harden diagnosed Mr Bennett in these terms:
“Personality disorder, severe, mixed type (predominantly borderline
with antisocial, dependent and avoidant elements).
Polysubstance abuse.
Possible paraphilia associated with coercive sexual contact with
female strangers.”
[14] Dr Sundin’s diagnoses was similar:
“ Cluster B Personality Disorder, primarily borderline and anti-
social traits, moderate to severe intensity
6 Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003, s 43AA.
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Substance Use Disorder (amphetamines and heroin); not in
remission Sexual Sadism”
[15] The three psychiatrists (Drs Harden, Sundin and Apel) and Mr Smith all opined that
various circumstances and stressors experienced by Mr Bennett in the community led
to him resorting back to drug use, although encouragingly not to methamphetamine.
[16] While in the community, Mr Bennett had been attempting to address his substance
abuse problems. He had regular contact with Mr Smith and Dr Apel. He was engaged
in a Drug Arm 12 week program and had contact with Narcotics Anonymous. He
had struck up a friendship with a woman who was involved in the Drug Arm treatment
group and he hoped to see that friendship develop but the woman terminated the
relationship. He also had arguments with his family.
[17] Dr Apel described “the decompensation” of Mr Bennett in these terms:
“Part C: The Decompensation
Mr Bennett essentially fell to pieces over the last four weeks in
November, with relapse into Suboxone use. I note at the time he was
asking for help from myself but was clearly cautious about this, not
wanting to prejudice his prospects of release after so many years.
The issues going on at the time were firstly his contact with his sister
was disrupted for a number of weeks, and then when she regained
contact she was asking for money from him. He indicated this pattern
had occurred before and reflected a return to methamphetamine use
in his sister. He previously maintained to me that she was now 50
years old and fully abstinent.
The second issue at the time was his progress and completion of the
High Intensity Alcohol Program run by Drug Arm at Ipswich. Such
programs are, by their nature, quite challenging and stressful.
The third issue is that with his release he was regularly travelling to
Ipswich and had fallen into conversation with a woman attending this
program on the train. He clearly read much more into this relationship
than she had. This raised the spectre of re-offending.
As such, we have had a relapse into drug use as has happened
previously. I note in the precinct housing, there is exposure to others
using Suboxone and opportunity to do so. These factors are
omnipresent. The factors that were different are the increased
stressors in his life. I think the foremost of this was his imminent
release from the prison system. I think he was quite excited and
anxious about this, and the state of anxiety and arousal I think has
always been previously associated with drug and alcohol use. This is
about his childhood abuse but that he had been able to do that. He
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said that just prior to being reincarcerated ‘I just got a sponsor with
NA (Narcotics Anonymous)’.”
[18] As to risk, Dr Harden opined:
“It is clear that there are two major drivers of sexual offence risk in
this man and they are his very severe personality pathology with
marked emotional instability and a stereotyped template which I
suspect represents deviant sexual arousal associated with sexual
assault on an adult female stranger in a public or semi-public
environment. The offending is also associated with intoxication
particularly with amphetamines.
He had a significant pre-existing criminal history of break and enters
and associated arson to conceal the crime (on his account).
He came from a dysfunctional early environment with a father who
was a violent alcoholic and his father was very physically abusive
leading to significant physical injuries. He left the home environment
at an early age and had no stable environment from about 10 years of
age.
He moved into polysubstance abuse and criminal behaviour from an
early age. He has had difficulty forming and sustaining close
relationships and has a marked sensitivity to perceived rejection.
He has previously coped poorly with release on a supervision order
with recurrent breaches as documented. His treating psychologist
correctly identifies that he suffers from difficulties with emotional
regulation and problem-solving and becomes easily frustrated in the
community with subsequent use of substances as a dysfunctional
coping strategy. This seems to be improving slowly with time
although he has again relapsed into substance use, however, he has
avoided use of amphetamines and instead used an opiate which he
was previously prescribed in an opiate replacement program.”
[19] Dr Sundin’s opinion as to risk is:
“Mr Bennett is a 42-year-old man with a significant history of sexual
and non-sexual offending leading to lengthy periods of incarceration
as an adult. He appears to have been out of gaol for less than 2 years
as an adult. He is very institutionalised. He has viewed prison as a
safe haven in the past. He has repeatedly breached community
supervision.
He has been involved in opportunistic sexual offences, with
intoxication at the time of offending a relevant risk factor.
Amphetamines are a significant risk factor for this man. The index
offence occurred after many hours of retaliatory fantasies when
Mr Bennett acted out his anger at a vulnerable victim. Mr Bennett
was in a heightened emotional state of anger and felt out of control
when the index offence occurred. Over time, there was an escalation
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in the severity of his offences. As recently as 2018 he was engaging
with violent pornography.
He has been repeatedly deceptive about his use of illicit substances
and accessing of prescribed medications via other prisoners. He has
been deceptive in his disclosures to case managers. He has not been
honest in his disclosures to his treating clinicians. He continues to
externalise responsibility but to a slightly lesser degree than in the
past.
He has relied on illicit substances to modulate his mood. He has made
some effort at internalising the strategies for emotional self-
regulation taught to him by Nick Smith and did better at calming
down after the angry outburst at his case manager over the Ms A
issue. He apologised the next day.
He continues to struggle with emotional self-regulation, impatience
and avoidant coping. He experiences feelings of personal
inadequacy, genital inadequacy and sexuality fluidity/identity
diffusion. He idealised the relationship with Ms A and reacted poorly
when she severed ties.
I consider that Mr Bennett represents an unmodified moderate to high
risk for future sexual offending.
Future victims are likely to be post-pubescent female strangers with
the offence occurring either in an unplanned manner or as an act of
retaliation at a time when Mr Bennett has regressed, and his
behaviour is disinhibited by the consumption of licit or illicit
substances, particularly alcohol or amphetamines.
There is a risk that a future victim who was less capable of self-
defence could be the subject of a completed rape and/or would be at
risk for physical violence.
The risk for future offending is heightened by relapse into abuse of
mood-altering substances, emotional regression, fractured intimate
relationships, feeling vulnerable and insecure and seeking a return to
gaol as a safe place.
I consider that Mr Bennett represents an unmodified moderate to high
risk for future sexual offending. I consider that a supervision order
has reduced his risk, but I will not feel confident that there is any
enduring reduction of his risk profile while he continues to abuse
mood altering substances and is deceptive about his abuse and
cravings.
I am pleased that Dr Apel now considers Mr Bennett suitable for the
Suboxone programme, but strongly urge that he be placed on the
depot suboxone programme rather than any oral replacement version
given the level of his past deceptiveness regarding illicit drug use and
drug diversion.
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Mr Bennett should re-engage with Drug Arm and continue to attend
NA. He should continue to see Mr Smith and Dr Apel. He should
repeat the SOMP on the community.
I therefore respectfully recommend that Mr Bennett can be released
under a supervision order into the community.”
[20] Mr Smith reported that Mr Bennett attended 16 sessions with him between June 2020
and his return to custody in November. He concluded:
“Mr Bennett has struggled during previous periods in the community,
both in Townsville and at Wacol. While he has previously attributed
this to a lack of community support, it also appears that coping skill
deficits have also played a role, regardless of his location. As a result
he has now destabilised on five occasions and used substances.
Mr Bennett continues to present with an ongoing risk of rapid
deterioration, as a result of poor adaptive-coping and emotional-
regulation skills, as well as the difficulty in structuring intervention
to build his capacities sufficiently before a destabilisation occurs.
However, it is important to note that Mr Bennett’s most recent
treatment episode was longer than previously, and he successfully
engaged with a wider range of supports and treatment providers. He
has shown a capacity to learn from past experiences, although the
pace of growth and positive change continues to be gradual.”
[21] Dr Apel’s recommendations were as follows:
“Hopefully he will have the opportunity to return to precinct housing
again and I would suggest a more drawn out process with more
increased graded exposure to civilian life outside of prison
environment. I think with practice and time he will become a little
more desensitised and have less sexualised first impressions upon
meeting women, but only time and practice will improve this.
A second question is whether he would have done better being on
maintenance Suboxone. I think in hindsight the answer to this is yes,
that his drug dependency is of a gravity and lifelong duration that an
abstinent life is not a practical option in this man. Any stressors that
arise will be linked to relapse into drug use in this fellow. I think we
have had a decent try at doing a drug-free approach, with William’s
full cooperation, but I think this is seen to be a failure and the next
time round, I think a fairly decent dose of maintenance Suboxone
would be worthwhile. Methadone would be a fair alternative because
it allows meaningful drug screens as Suboxone is his drug of choice.
A third issue is I think he needs further community drug treatment
programs to attend. This is both to get him used to the subject, but
also just to generally increase his exposure to stressful psychological
matters in the community context.
I think with hindsight, I would see Nick Smith’s role as critical in
matters and in some ways more critical to the story than my own.
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Should the opportunity arise, I would be very happy to catch up with
William again and see him on a regular basis.”
Statutory context
[22] Here, the contraventions are admitted. Section 22 of the DPSOA governs the orders
which may be made in those circumstances. Section 22 provides, relevantly, as
follows:
“22 Court may make further order
(1) The following subsections apply if the court is satisfied,
on the balance of probabilities, that the released prisoner
is likely to contravene, is contravening, or has
contravened, a requirement of the supervision order or
interim supervision order (each the existing order).
(2) Unless the released prisoner satisfies the court, on the
balance of probabilities, that the adequate protection of
the community can, despite the contravention or likely
contravention of the existing order, be ensured by the
existing order as amended under subsection (7), the court
must—
(a) if the existing order is a supervision order, rescind
it and make a continuing detention order; or
(b) if the existing order is an interim supervision order,
rescind it and make an order that the released
prisoner be detained in custody for the period
stated in the order. …
(7) If the released prisoner satisfies the court, on the balance
of probabilities, that the adequate protection of the
community can, despite the contravention or likely
contravention of the existing order, be ensured by a
supervision order or interim supervision order, the
court—
(a) must amend the existing order to include all of the
requirements under section 16(1) if the order does
not already include all of those requirements; and
(b) may otherwise amend the existing order in a way
the court considers appropriate—
(i) to ensure adequate protection of the
community; or
(ii) for the prisoner’s rehabilitation or care or
treatment.
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(8) The existing order may not be amended under subsection
(7)(b) so as to remove any requirements mentioned in
section 16(1).”
[23] By s 22(7), the onus falls upon Mr Bennett to demonstrate “that the adequate
protection of the community can, despite the contravention … be ensured by a
supervision order …”. Section 13 of the DPSOA is a pivotal section in the Act. It is
the one which empowers the court to make either a supervision order or a continuing
detention order against a prisoner. The notion of “adequate protection of the
community” appears in s 13. Section 13 is, relevantly, as follows:
“13 Division 3 orders
(1) This section applies if, on the hearing of an application
for a division 3 order, the court is satisfied the prisoner is
a serious danger to the community in the absence of a
division 3 order (a serious danger to the community).
(2) A prisoner is a serious danger to the community as
mentioned in subsection (1) if there is an unacceptable
risk that the prisoner will commit a serious sexual
offence—
(a) if the prisoner is released from custody; or
(b) if the prisoner is released from custody without a
supervision order being made.
(3) On hearing the application, the court may decide that it is
satisfied as required under subsection (1) only if it is
satisfied—
(a) by acceptable, cogent evidence; and
(b) to a high degree of probability;
that the evidence is of sufficient weight to justify the
decision. …
(5) If the court is satisfied as required under subsection (1),
the court may order—
(a) that the prisoner be detained in custody for an
indefinite term for control, care or treatment
(continuing detention order); or
(b) that the prisoner be released from custody subject
to the requirements it considers appropriate that are
stated in the order (supervision order).
(6) In deciding whether to make an order under subsection
(5)(a) or (b)—
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(a) the paramount consideration is to be the need to
ensure adequate protection of the community; and
(b) the court must consider whether—
(i) adequate protection of the community can be
reasonably and practicably managed by a
supervision order; and
(ii) requirements under section 16 can be
reasonably and practicably managed by
corrective services officers.
(7) The Attorney-General has the onus of proving that a
prisoner is a serious danger to the community as
mentioned in subsection (1).”
[24] The effect of s 13 is:
(a) the court must consider whether the prisoner is a “serious danger to the
community in the absence of a Division 3 order”;7
(b) a prisoner is a “serious danger to the community” where there is an
unacceptable risk that the prisoner will commit a “serious sexual offence” in
the absence of an order;8
(c) a “serious sexual offence” is, relevantly here, “an offence of a sexual nature …
involving violence …”;9
(d) orders under Division 3 are:
(i) a continuing detention order;10
(ii) a supervision order;11
(e) if there is a finding that the prisoner is a serious danger to the community in the
absence of a Division 3 order, then the court may:
(i) make no order;
(ii) make a continuing detention order;
7 Section 13(1).
8 Section 13(2).
9 Section 2 and Schedule (Dictionary). As to the term “involving violence” see Attorney-General v
Phineasa [2013] 1 Qd R 305 at 312-16, [23]-[45].
10 Section 13(5)(a).
11 Section 13(5)(b).
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(iii) make a supervision order;12
(f) in determining what, if any order to make, “the paramount consideration is to
be the need to ensure adequate protection of the community” from the
commission by the prisoner of a “serious sexual offence”;13
(g) if the adequate protection of the community cannot be ensured by a supervision
order, then a continuing detention order should be made;14
(h) if the adequate protection of the community can be ensured by a supervision
order, then supervision ought to be preferred to the making of a continuing
detention order.15
[25] In context, the onus which is cast upon Mr Bennett by s 22(7) is to prove that despite
the contravention, adequate protection of the community against the commission by
the respondent of an offence of a sexual nature involving violence can be provided
by the supervision order if he is released.
[26] It can be seen that the aim of the DPSOA is to provide adequate protection of the
community from the commission by the respondent of a “serious sexual offence”. It
is not to protect the community from offending generally or sexual offending
generally, but only offending in a particular way, namely by the commission of “a
serious sexual offence”. While Mr Bennett has breached the supervision order now
on six occasions, the only relevance of his persistent breaching is the extent to which
that is relevant to the statutorily prescribed tests, namely the assessment of risk of the
commission of a “serious sexual offence”.16
[27] I find that the contravention is proved. That finding is inevitable given that
Mr Bennett admits the contravention.
[28] I accept the evidence of the three psychiatrists and Mr Smith. The Attorney-General,
properly and sensibly, also accepts that evidence and accepts that Mr Bennett has
12 Fardon v Attorney-General (Qld) (2004) 223 CLR 575 at 597, [34].
13 Section 13(b).
14 Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Francis [2007] 1 Qd R 396 at 405, [39].
15 Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Francis [2007] 1 Qd R 396 at 405, [39].
16 Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Fardon [2018] QSC 193 at [76]-[78], Attorney-
General for the State of Queensland v Fardon [2011] QCA 155 at [28], Attorney-General for the State
of Queensland v Fardon [2011] QCA 111 at [29], Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v
Fardon [2013] QCA 299 at [22] all reviewed in Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Nemo
[2020] QSC 140 at [20]-[26].
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discharged the onus cast upon him under s 22(7) of the DPSOA, namely that the
adequate protection of the community can be ensured by his release on supervision.
[29] The concession by the Attorney-General is clearly a proper one because:
(a) while Mr Bennett has breached the terms of the supervision order, he has not
committed a serious sexual offence while on supervision. He has not
committed any sexual offence of any kind;
(b) the breaching of the supervision order on now six occasions is explained (but
not excused) by Mr Bennett’s personality disorder and substance abuse
disorder which lead him to resort to illicit substances when under emotional
pressure;
(c) the psychiatric evidence which I accept, is to the effect that the supervision
order reduces the risk of Mr Bennett committing a serious sexual offence to
acceptable, manageable levels.
[30] For those reasons I made the orders which I did.
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Official source: https://www.sclqld.org.au/caselaw/QSC/2021/048