Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Loudon [2017] QSC 146
SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND
CITATION: Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Loudon
[2017] QSC 146
PARTIES: ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF
QUEENSLAND
(Applicant)
v
KEVIN MICHAEL LOUDON
(Respondent)
FILE NO/S: BS No 1208 of 2007
DIVISION: Trial
PROCEEDING: Originating Application
ORIGINATING
COURT:
Supreme Court at Brisbane
DELIVERED ON: 6 July 2017
DELIVERED AT: Brisbane
HEARING DATE: 3 July 2017
JUDGE: Jackson J
ORDER: The order of the court is that:
1. Pursuant to Part 2 Division 4A of the Dangerous
Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 (Qld) the
respondent be subject to the requirements of a
further supervision order for the respondent as a
released prisoner as more particularly set out in
the annexure to these reasons for judgment.
CATCHWORDS: CRIMINAL LAW – SENTENCE – SENTENCING
ORDERS – ORDERS AND DECLARATIONS RELATING
TO SERIOUS OR VIOLENT OFFENDERS OR
DANGEROUS SEXUAL OFFENDERS – DANGEROUS
SEXUAL OFFENDER – GENERALLY – where the
respondent was previously convicted of serious sexual
offences on five occasions between 1985 and 2005 – where
the respondent was released from custody subject to the
requirements of a supervision order under s 13(5)(b) of the
Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 (Qld) –
where the current supervision order will expire on 7 July
2017 – where the respondent contravened the supervision
order in 2009 by travelling from Townsville to Cairns
without permission – where the respondent has not
reoffended since his release from custody – where the
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respondent continues to deny his past sexual offending –
whether a further supervision order should be made
Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 (Qld)
Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Beattie
[2007] QCA 96, cited
Attorney-General v Van Dessel [2006] QSC 016, cited
COUNSEL: J Rolls for the Applicant
C Reid for the Respondent
SOLICITORS: Crown Solicitor for the Applicant
Legal Aid Queensland for the Respondent
Jackson J:
1. This is an application for a further supervision order under Part 2 Division 4A of the
Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 (Qld) (“DPSOA”). The existing
order will expire on 7 July 2017. As filed, the application is for a further order for a
period of five years. By a last minute amendment, the applicant now seeks an order for
a period ending on the respondent’s 60th birthday, which would be over seven years.
2. Part 2 Division 4A applies to a released prisoner subject to a current supervision order.
The Attorney-General may apply for a further supervision order for the released
prisoner. That application may only be made within the last six months of the effect of
the current supervision order. Unhappily, on 24 March 2017 it was ordered that the
final hearing of the present application be on 3 July 2017. That was only four days
before the existing order was to expire. The application was brought on in the context
of a busy Applications list. Only two hours was allocated for its disposition. In my
view, this is not an appropriate manner of hearing it. The application was always to be
one of a significant or serious contest. Neither of the parties applied for an interim
supervision order under s 19D(2) of the DPSOA to enable the final decision to be made
with greater care. The court must deal with the case as it was presented and argued as
best it can.
3. It is common ground that under s 19D the questions to be decided on an application for
a further supervision order are a modified form of those that arise on an application for
a final order under Part 2 Division 3 of the DPSOA. First, is the court satisfied that the
respondent is a danger to the community within the meaning of s 13(1) of the DPSOA?
Second, if the court is so satisfied, should the court order that the respondent as a
released prisoner be subject to the requirements it considers appropriate that are stated
in a further supervision order of the kind made under s 13(5)(b) of the DPSOA?
4. On the first question, s 13 as adapted provides that a released prisoner is a serious danger
to the community if there is an unacceptable risk that he will commit a serious sexual
offence without a further supervision order being made. On the hearing of the
application, the court may decide it is satisfied that the released prisoner is a serious
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danger to the community only if it is satisfied by acceptable cogent evidence and to a
high degree of probability that the evidence is of sufficient weight to justify the decision.
5. Section 13(4) as adapted provides that in deciding whether the released prisoner is a
serious danger to the community the court must have regard to any report produced
under s 8A; the reports prepared by the psychiatrists under s 11 and the extent to which
the released prisoner cooperated in the examination by the psychiatrists; any other
medical psychiatric, psychological or other assessment relating to the released prisoner,
information indicating whether or not there is propensity on the part of the released
prisoner to commit serious sexual offences in the future; whether or not there is any
pattern of offending behaviour on the part of the released prisoner; efforts by the
released prisoner to address the cause or causes of his offending behaviour, including
whether the released prisoner participated in rehabilitation programs; whether or not the
released prisoner’s participation in rehabilitation programs has had a positive effect on
the released prisoner; the released prisoner’s antecedents and criminal history; the risk
that the released prisoner will commit another serious sexual offence if released into the
community; the need to protect members of the community from that risk and any other
relevant matter.
6. On an application for a further supervision order, a psychiatrist’s assessment of the level
of risk under s 11(2)(a) is to be an assessment of the level of risk that the released
prisoner will commit another serious sexual offence if a further supervision order is not
made after the expiry of the current supervision order.
7. If a further supervision order is made it must be for the period stated in the order and
has effect in accordance with its terms for that period. A further supervision order must
meet the requirements of s 16 and s 16D of the DPSOA. Reasons for it must be given
in accordance with s 17.
The respondent’s criminal history
8. The respondent was convicted of serious sexual offences on five occasions between
1985 and 2005.
9. On 24 May 1985, he was convicted for offences of carnal knowledge against the order
of nature and gross indecency committed in 1981 and 1982 relating to a 9 year old male.
10. On 11 September 1985, he was convicted of rape and indecent dealing relating to an 8
year old female.
11. On 23 May 1995, he was convicted of five offences of indecent dealing with a child
under 12 years, four offences of wilful exposure of a child under the age of 12 years to
indecent printed matter, a further offence of indecent dealing with a child under 12
years, an offence of permitting to be indecently dealt with by a child under 12 years and
an offence of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16 years. All these
offences occurred in 1994 and 1995. They involved five males aged between 9 and 12
years.
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12. On 6 February 2002, he was convicted of two offences of attempting to procure indecent
treatment of a child under 16 committed in 2001 relating to a 14 year old male and a 15
year old male.
13. On 8 July 2005, he was convicted of two offences of indecent treatment of a child under
16 by exposure and two offences of indecent treatment of a child under 16, all
committed in 2004 relating to a 6 year old male and an 8 year old male.
Current supervision order
14. On 7 June 2007, the respondent was ordered to be released from custody subject to the
requirements of the current supervision order, under s 13(5)(b) of the DPSOA.
15. On 5 October 2009, he was found to have contravened the order by travelling from
Townsville to Cairns without permission on 1 October 2009. As a result of the breach
he was arrested and subsequently released. The original supervision order was amended
to add condition (xxix) that he comply with a curfew direction or monitoring direction.
16. The respondent was made subject to both a curfew direction and a monitoring direction
in the form of wearing a GPS ankle bracelet. In 2013, it appears the curfew direction
was lifted.
Antecedents
17. The respondent is now a 53 year old single man. He has never married. He resides in
private rental accommodation. He shares the private residential accommodation with
two other men who are friends. One is 27 years old; the other is 19 years old. He is not
in a sexual relationship with either of them. The 27 year old moved in around 2009 and
they have been renting together since then. The 19 year old is a friend of the 27 year
old and the respondent has known him for two years. He moved in during the second
half of 2016.
18. He has been there for five years or more. He has been in receipt of a disability support
pension since 2010 for a back injury suffered at work.
19. He is the fourth of five children. His parents are deceased. He was born in Mareeba
and grew up in the Atherton Tablelands. His four brothers and their families reside in
various locations, including Cairns or surrounding districts. He has regular contact with
them.
20. He engages in fishing, gardening and cooking. He rides a quad bike on the property
where he lives or nearby and does mechanical work on quad bikes.
21. He studies the Bible and has belonged to a bible study group in the past. He does not
formally go to church.
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22. His social contact now is with a limited number of friends at BBQ’s or going out for
dinner with his housemates.
23. He does not smoke cigarettes now. He does not drink alcohol. He does not use illicit
drugs.1 He does not gamble.
24. The respondent likes to go into the bush, to go fishing or to go scuba diving. These
activities are not available to him now, apparently because of the restrictions of
directions made under the current supervision order.
25. If the respondent were not subject to a supervision order, he says he would eventually
return to the Atherton Tablelands to be closer to family members. He would then do
some travelling, probably to remote areas such as Kakadu or the Kimberly region. He
would visit family members. He has other relatives in the gulf country (and a brother
in Emerald). He would consider going back to work as a plant operator and would
return to scuba diving, fishing and camping.
Reports of psychiatrists under s 8A and s 11
26. There were three reports of psychiatrists tendered in evidence. Each of the psychiatrists
also gave oral evidence in chief and was cross-examined. The oral evidence was brief.
Dr Michael Beech’s report dated 12 December 2016 was prepared under s 8A. He
diagnosed the respondent with paedophilia with an attraction predominately to boys in
the range aged 6-15 years. He opined there is some evidence of personality disturbance
but nothing that he thought now equates to a personality disorder. The respondent’s
score on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist was not in the realm of psychopathy.
27. He assessed the respondent’s risk of reoffending using a number of instruments. On the
STATIC-99R he assessed him with a score of 7. On the STABLE-2007, Dr Beech gave
the respondent a score of 11 out of 26. Addition of the scores placed the respondent in
the group of offenders who require an overall priority for supervision. Removal of the
supervision order is regarded by Dr Beech as an acute factor.
28. Overall Dr Beech opined that the respondent has moved from the high risk group of
offenders to the moderate risk group of offenders. He expressed concern that the
respondent continues or has continued to associate with young males. Although they
are above the age of consent, some of the notes on the file indicate they have been 16,
17 or 18 year old males who are youthful in appearance. Although that would represent
an adaptation of a deviant sexual interest into the legal realm, Dr Beech’s concern is
that the adaptation is to the supervision order rather than a change in sexual interest.
29. In Dr Beech’s view, the current supervision order has acted as a form of containment
and he believes that the respondent’s increasingly entrenched denial of his offending
puts him at risk of returning to risk areas. The risk is that once a supervision order is
1 I have not overlooked that he has a conviction of possession of a dangerous drug but he says that the basis
was that the drug or drugs belonged to and were used by someone else who was living or staying at his
house at the time.
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removed, the respondent will start to go to areas and venues where he will come in
contact with young males, and from there his deviant sexual interests will be aroused.
Dr Beech’s conclusion is that the respondent’s risk, “will remain at a lowered level but
not much lower than the average sex offender and not negligible until he is 60 years
old”.
30. At present, the respondent expresses that he has no sexual interest of significance. There
is no evidence that the respondent is actively engaging in a sexual relationship or has
done so for some time. I am concerned by the suggestion that the risk will be negligible
when the respondent is 60 years old. In my view, the evidence did not satisfactorily
explain why, if the respondent’s risk is in the moderate risk group of offenders now, it
will have decreased to negligible simply by the passage of time between now and when
he is 60. It does not seem to be based on any of the instruments or the data as to rates
of recidivist sexual offending in the different age groups. That the risk might become
negligible appears to be based on Dr Beech’s view that with the passage of time the
respondent’s sexual interests will wane. If given undue weight such a statement could
have an undue persuasive effect, namely that because the respondent is a moderate risk
now, a supervision order should be made for more than five years in the expectation that
at 60 the considerations will be significantly different.
31. In my view, it is not appropriate to reason as to what the risks are now or what the period
of a further supervision order should be at the present time by reference to the
proposition that the respondent’s risk of committing a serious sexual offence will be
negligible by the time he is 60 years old.
32. Dr Scott Harden in a report dated 22 June 2017 expresses the opinion that the
respondent’s risk of sexual re-offending is in the moderate range compared to the
recidivism rate of sexual offenders generally. His only significant risk factor is that he
has a paedophilic sexual orientation. He has not acted on it in the last 10 years while
on the current supervision order. In the absence of a further supervision order Dr
Harden’s only concern is the extent to which the conditions of the current supervision
order have acted as a restraint on the respondent’s possible contact with young people.
33. The details on which Dr Harden’s opinion is based are substantially in accordance with
those set out by Dr Beech. Dr Harden noted, in addition, that the respondent had
completed programs including Anger Management and Cognitive Skills (1999),
Community Sex Offender Treatment Program (2003), Community Sex Offender
Maintenance Program (2003) and Getting Started Preparatory Program (2006) in the
past. He has not undertaken either a High Intensity Sexual Offending Program or
Medium Intensity Sexual Offending Program. He was released from custody before
they were offered to him. He has attended individual psychological therapy for 10 years
with a number of therapists, but most recently Robert Walkley.
34. Professor Joan Lawrence gave two reports. The first dated is 7 June 2017 and the
supplementary report is dated 27 June 2017. In her first report she expressed the opinion
that the respondent was a moderate to low risk of reoffending sexually. Surprisingly,
in the supplementary report she changed her opinion to a moderate to moderately high
risk of reoffending.
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35. The explanation for the difference lies in the view that Professor Lawrence takes of the
respondent’s denial of his sexual offending behaviour and the effect on her of
considering the reports by Mr Walkley in his affidavit sworn 17 January 2017 and his
progress report dated 15 March 2017. Professor Lawrence appears to have been
particularly concerned by the respondent’s attendance on a personal psychologist, Mr
Weightman. She speculated that Mr Weightman may not have the factual information
in relation to the respondent’s offences and that Mr Weightman has accepted the
respondent’s claims of innocence. But there is no evidence that either of those things is
the fact. It is a little concerning that Professor Lawrence appears to have acted on such
flimsy factual information as to any assumptions on which her opinion as to the risk of
the respondent re-offending is apparently based. Other material before me suggests that
the respondent has always denied some of the factual bases for some of the offending
of which he has been convicted. This is no new development, although it seems likely
that the respondent’s assertions or beliefs as to the extent of his innocence have
increased in scope and intensity over the years.
36. The other assessments that were made by Professor Lawrence are largely in conformity
with those made by Dr Beech. Professor Lawrence had the advantage of having
assessed the respondent in 2007 for the purpose of the original application that was
made, that he be made subject to a continuing detention order or supervision order.
Other psychological reports
37. As previously mentioned, the evidence tendered on the application included a number
of reports by Mr Walkley. Mr Walkley was not called to give evidence either orally or
for cross-examination. He was a deponent. The contents of his reports pass
unchallenged. I will not set them out in detail. It is clear that Mr Walkley has strong
opinions concerning the respondent. First, he considers that he is a high risk of
reoffending. Second, he suggests in more than one way that the respondent has not been
cooperating in their sessions or in disclosing his intentions if freed from the constraints
of a supervision order. I have formed the view that there appears to be distrust on both
sides as between Mr Walkley and the respondent. It is notable that the respondent was
prepared to disclose his intentions if freed from a supervision order to the examining
psychiatrists. He knew those examinations were made for the purpose of the present
proceedings. Accordingly, his unwillingness to share information with Mr Walkley is
not necessarily based on the reason given by Mr Walkley, namely a desire not to disclose
his intentions because that may be unhelpful to the respondent’s interests on this
application. Second, it appears perfectly clear that Mr Walkley wants the respondent to
engage in his therapy or sessions on the footing that the respondent admits his offending
either in full or to some extent. The respondent is opposed to that. He is entrenched in
his denial that all of the offending, or most of it, occurred. It is easy to understand why
they may be at loggerheads.
38. For the purposes of this application, it must be accepted that the offending occurred and
that at the least the respondent is wrong-headed in his belief. But there is a marked
difference in Mr Walkley’s response to the respondent’s position of denial and that, say,
of Dr Harden. In Dr Harden’s opinion, denial in itself is not a factor which increases
the risk of the respondent committing another serious sexual offence. However, because
of the respondent’s denial it is more likely that he will not see the same importance in
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adopting or continuing structures or strategies designed to avoid contact with children
which might expose him to the risk of further offending. That is because he does not
recognise or believe that it is necessary for him to do so.
Information as to propensity
39. If the respondent’s past behaviours are treated as the yardstick, there would be little
doubt about his propensity to commit serious sexual offences in the future. But as
Professor Lawrence emphasised in her report, the last offending by the respondent was
many years (now 13 years) ago.
40. That said, the respondent’s paedophilia is not an orientation or interest that is likely to
have changed or to change. It may be that his interests in sexual activity generally have
waned with the passage of time. All the psychiatrists’ reports recognise that. As well,
the respondent positively asserts that to be the case. But there is no objective measure
of that assertion. A possible indicator against the respondent’s assertion is the notable
number of relationships he has developed over the years with 16, 17 or 18 year old
young males, whether or not they have resulted in any sexual contact.
41. The hinge on which the varying opinions expressed by the psychiatrists and Mr Walkley
seems to have turned, at least to some degree, is whether the conduct without further
offending over the last 10 years should be treated as caused by the current supervision
order rather than, or more than, anything else. At least Mr Walkley and Dr Beech appear
to be of that view, and perhaps so is Professor Lawrence. Nevertheless, I wonder
whether that is a matter of psychiatric or psychological expert opinion. It is an important
point, if accepted, because it serves to discount the significance of what would otherwise
be treated as a lengthy period of conduct without further offending whilst in the
community.
42. In my view, there is a not insignificant risk that the respondent may commit a serious
sexual offence in the future. In this respect, I am influenced by Dr Beech’s evidence
that although the respondent has developed a number of supports during his period on
the current supervision order over the last five years in particular, they are not solid
supports. He remains isolated, with few friends, and relatively withdrawn from ordinary
social supports. He is isolated from and not able to see his family regularly because of
the constraints attached to his place of residence and movements. These circumstances
are not to be treated as the respondent’s fault. On the one hand, wider and stronger
connections of support would be treated as a positive in assessing the risk. On the other
hand, a person subject to the constraints of a supervision order and a history of serious
sexual offending faces significant hurdles in achieving stronger supports, if it can be
done at all.
Pattern of offending
43. There is no question that there was a pattern to the respondent’s offending. His targets
have been (with one exception) boys, some of a very young age and, in some of the later
offences, between about 10 and 15 years. The later offences involved indecent acts
including oral sex, exposure and touching. However, Dr Beech opines that if the
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respondent were to commit a serious sexual offence in the future, it could well involve
penetration.
44. That said, the respondent’s offending has not involved any suggestion of violence or
coercion. The respondent has befriended and persuaded his young victims, including
doing so or attempting to do so by offers of money.
Efforts to address
45. The respondent has cooperated with the terms of his current supervision order. Prior to
that order being made, he attended the programs identified above. However, it is clear
that Mr Walkley takes the view that the respondent does not presently make any effort
to address the cause or causes of his offending. In oral evidence, Dr Beech succinctly
summarised the respondent’s position as one where any realistic expectation that the
respondent might do so has now passed. It is not consistent with the respondent’s denial
of all of his offending, or most of it, that he would make efforts to address the offending
behaviour. If there was an opportunity to do so, the opportunity has now passed.
46. It cannot therefore be suggested or taken into account that the respondent’s participation
in any of the programs previously mentioned has had a positive effect, except possibly
to reinforce to him the consequences of further offending.
Other relevant matters
47. In my view, there are a couple of other relevant matters that should be taken into
account.
48. First, acceptance of the proposition that the current supervision order has had a “but for”
effect on the risk of the respondent committing a serious sexual offence creates an
invidious position for the respondent. How is such a person to show, after 10 years of
the current supervision order, or even after a further supervision order of five years or
more, that the risk is reduced from that which formed the basis of the original findings
of a serious danger to the community under ss 13(1) and 13(5)? The hypothetical
question of what would have happened “but for” the making of the current supervision
order must always entail a degree of speculation and operate as a negative factor in
giving weight to what has otherwise been a lengthy period without further offending.
Second, it must not be forgotten that the resources likely to be available to a person such
as the respondent to provide evidence or to support an argument to the contrary are
limited.
49. In the present case, no fewer than three psychiatrists and a psychologist have provided
opinions on which the application rests. The structural process by which the evidence
is gathered and presented is likely to produce some bias, without any suggestion of
unprofessional conduct by any of those involved. Given the nature of the risks involved,
the opinions are likely to be expressed conservatively. This can only add to the
difficulties faced by a person in the position of the respondent. The concern is that as a
practical matter a successful period of operation of a supervision order might be viewed
as a status quo to be continued. It must not be forgotten that this is not the question to
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be answered under s 13(1) as to whether at the present time the respondent is a serious
danger to the community.
Serious danger to the community
50. The applicant submits that it should be found that the respondent presents a moderate
risk of committing another serious sexual offence if he is in the community and not
subject to a supervision order, and it follows that he is an unacceptable risk and a serious
danger to the community.
51. The applicant relies on Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Beattie,2 where
Keane JA said:
“For the appellant, it was argued that the expert description of the risk
of the appellant's re-offending as "moderate" meant that the risk fell
short of "unacceptable". But this argument overlooks the point that
whether or not a moderate risk is unacceptable must be gauged by
taking into account the nature of the risk and the consequences of the
risk materialising. In this regard, the appellant's likely targets are
children, and especially street children: vulnerable members of the
community who are likely to be peculiarly susceptible to his seduction
techniques. The focus of consideration must, therefore, be upon the
likely effect of a supervision order in terms of reducing the
opportunities for the appellant to engage in acts of seduction of children
to an acceptably low level.”
52. The respondent’s counsel submits that, on the evidence, the only risk factor is the
respondent’s paedophilic sexual orientation and that predicting what might occur in the
absence of a further supervision order is a matter of speculation or conjecture. He
submits that the serious nature of the inquiry was reinforced in Attorney-General v Van
Dessel,3 where White J said:
“Here what is at stake is the fundamental legal right to the unfettered personal
liberty of the Respondent on the expiration of his term of imprisonment. The
serious nature of the inquiry is underscored in the Act by the use of the
expression “high degree of probability”. (emphasis added)
53. The respondent’s counsel submits that on the current material the court could not be
positively satisfied that the answer to the statutory question whether the respondent is a
serious danger to the community in the absence of a further supervision order is “yes”.
54. I do not agree. The applicant has shown to a high degree of probability and by
acceptable cogent evidence that the respondent is a moderate risk of committing a
serious sexual offence in the future. The evidence of the psychiatrists relevant to this
question was generally consistent, subject to the points already mentioned and was not
2 [2007] QCA 96, [19].
3 [2006] QSC 016, [17].
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otherwise challenged by the respondent. There are countervailing factors, including that
assessment of the risk at “moderate” does not foreclose the answer to the statutory
question whether the risk is unacceptable. Also, the question must be answered with
awareness of the heavy restrictions imposed by a supervision order upon the legal right
to liberty and the impact of a supervision order upon the respondent’s quality of life,
including that it prevents him from establishing closer contact with his family and from
strengthening solid support structures.
55. Overall, in my view, there is an unacceptable risk that the respondent as a released
prisoner will commit a serious sexual offence if a further supervision order is not made.
Accordingly, the respondent is a serious danger to the community.
Period and conditions of the proposed further supervision order
56. An aspect of the present application that occupied a significant time in the hearing of
the application was the terms and conditions of the proposed further supervision order.
57. As previously mentioned, at the outset of the hearing of the application the applicant
increased the period of the proposed order from 5 years to over 7 years, ending on the
respondent’s 60th birthday. This significant increase of the period was said to be
justified on the basis of Dr Beech’s view that the respondent’s risk of reoffending would
not reduce to negligible until 60. Each of the psychiatrists had said in his or her report
that a period of 5 years was appropriate, there was no other persuasive evidence in
support of a longer period. I have previously indicated that I find the argument that the
risk is negligible at 60 not to be soundly supported or persuasive. Under s 13A(3) of
the DPSOA, a supervision order cannot end before 5 years after making the order.
Accordingly, the term of the further supervision order must be no shorter. However, I
reject the application to make it for a longer period.
58. Second, in his report, Dr Beech said that a further supervision order may not need all
the conditions in the current order. In his report Dr Harden said that (apart from the
compulsory conditions) the only condition should be a restriction upon contact with
people under 16 years of age and that in his opinion there is no requirement for GPS
monitoring, curfews, restrictions in substances or multiple conditions of other kinds. In
her supplementary report, Professor Lawrence said that a supervision order might be
made possibly with some relaxation in some areas.
59. The applicant paid no attention to any of that evidence. The current supervision order
contains 29 conditions. Only nine are requirements that must be imposed. But the
proposed order would contain 32 conditions. In some respects the applicant proposed
and pressed for more restrictive conditions than those of the current supervision order.
60. The oral evidence of the psychiatrists varied as to the conditions that may be necessary
to reduce the risk. All of them agreed that some of the conditions proposed were not
relevant to the risk of committing a serious sexual offence. On others, they expressed
views as to how the condition should be managed operationally so as not to overly
restrict the respondent’s freedom. To some degree, I was concerned that this evidence
reflected the psychiatrists’ ambivalence about the need for a condition as proposed or a
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sense of dissatisfaction at the likely or potential restrictiveness of the administration of
the conditions, but it would be false to proceed on the basis that the conditions will be
administered more liberally in the future than in the past.
61. There is a point of importance to be made here. It may be illustrated by reference to
condition 15 of the proposed order that the applicant not commit an indictable offence.
That condition was proposed in addition to the compulsory condition 9 that the applicant
not commit an offence of a sexual nature. Dr Beech’s evidence did not support the
additional condition. If an offence is not an offence of a sexual nature, what is the basis
for imposing condition 15 in addition as relevant to the risk of commission of a serious
sexual offence? The applicant seems to have proceeded as though a supervision order
is like an order for bail, probation or parole. It is not. It is an order justified only by the
terms of a draconian Act that authorises the order for the particular purposes of that Act.
62. Condition 5 of the proposed order is a requirement that the respondent comply with a
curfew direction or monitoring direction. It is a mandatory condition. There is a similar
condition in condition (xxix) of the current supervision order. In the past, the respondent
has been subject to both a curfew restriction and been required to wear a GPS bracelet
and observe area restrictions as to where he may go. The curfew was lifted in 2013. Dr
Harden doesn’t see a need for it. The GPS bracelet monitoring requirement remains.
The respondent finds it intrusive and irksome. For example, he cannot go to the fence
boundary at the rear of his residence without breaching the area restriction.
63. Condition 17 of the proposed order provides that the respondent is required to respond
truthfully to inquiries by a corrective services officer about his whereabouts and
movements generally. Dr Harden supported that condition as appropriate.
64. Conditions 19 to 24 provide for a detailed range of requirements for the respondent to
comply with assessment, treatment, testing and attendance at programs or courses or
with any psychologist or counsellor as directed by a corrective services officer. Dr
Beech expressed the view that apart from the monitoring effect of the counselling
sessions that the respondent currently attends with Mr Walkley, the idea of providing
specific sexual offender treatment to the respondent is something that he can’t see
happening now. Although Professor Lawrence and Mr Walkley may not agree, in my
view Dr Beech’s view should be accepted as a matter of practicability.
65. Condition 20 of the requirements of the proposed order would require the respondent to
submit to any form of drug and alcohol testing including both random urinalysis and
breath testing by a corrective services officer. None of the psychiatrists thought that
condition necessary. The respondent is not a drinker and does not use illicit drugs and
none of his offending is said to have been associated with them.
66. Condition 27 of the conditions of the proposed order is that the respondent must seek
written permission from a corrective services officer prior to joining, affiliating with or
attending on the premises of any club, organisation or group. Dr Harden did not
consider it necessary.
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67. Condition 29 of the conditions of the proposed order would prohibit the respondent from
being on the premises of any shopping centre without reasonable excuse between 8 am
and 9:30 am and between 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm on school days. It is not a condition of
the current supervision order. None of the psychiatrists thought it was required.
68. Condition 32 of the conditions of the proposed order is that the respondent obtain the
written approval of a corrective services officer before accessing a computer or the
internet. Dr Harden does not think it necessary. He would suggest instead a condition
requiring the respondent to permit access to any computerised device or storage media
so that any breach of the condition prohibiting access to or possession of pornographic
images of children can be monitored. Dr Beech did not disagree.
69. Dr Beech expressed the view that the respondent should be allowed to travel around the
State more freely than in the past, to go up to the Atherton Tablelands, to meet up with
his family and to go scuba diving, but did not know whether the order should be changed
to allow that. However, conditions 5 and 7 are mandatory requirements under the
DPSOA. It is not a matter for the court to administer them.
70. In my view, the conditions of the proposed order should be amended to take account of
these matters in accordance with the attached form of order.
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ANNEXURE
SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND
REGISTRY: Brisbane
NUMBER: BS1208/07
Applicant ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF
QUEENSLAND
AND
Respondent KEVIN MICHAEL LOUDON
FURTHER SUPERVISION ORDER
Before: Jackson J
Date: 6 July 2017
Initiating document: Application filed 24 February 2017
THE COURT, being satisfied to the requisite standard that the respondent, Kevin Michael
Loudon, is a serious danger to the community in the absence of a further supervision order
made pursuant to Part 2 Division 4A of the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003
(the Act), ORDERS THAT:
1. The respondent as a released prisoner be subject to the following requirements until 7
July 2022:
The respondent must:
Statutory requirements
(1) be under the supervision of a Corrective Services officer for the duration of the order;
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(2) report to a Corrective Services officer at the Townsville Probation and Parole Office
by 4pm on (insert date) and, at that time, advise the officer of his current name and
address;
(3) report to, and receive visits from, a Corrective Services officer at such times and at
such frequency as determined by Queensland Corrective Services;
(4) notify a Corrective Services officer of every change of his name, place of residence or
employment at least two business days before the change happens;
(5) comply with a curfew direction or monitoring direction;
(6) comply with any reasonable direction under section 16B of the Act given to him;
(7) comply with every reasonable direction of a Corrective Services officer that is not
directly inconsistent with a requirement of the order;
(8) must not leave or stay out of Queensland without the permission of a Corrective
Services officer;
(9) not commit an offence of a sexual nature during the period of the order;
Employment
(10) notify a Corrective Services officer of the nature of his employment, or offers of
employment, the hours of work each day, the name of his employer and the address of
the premises where he is or will be employed;
(11) seek permission and obtain approval from a Corrective Services officer prior to
entering into an employment agreement or engaging in volunteer work or paid or
unpaid employment;
Residence
(12) reside at a place within the State of Queensland as approved by a Corrective Services
officer by way of a suitability assessment;
(13) not reside at a place by way of short term accommodation, including overnight stays,
without the permission of a Corrective Services officer;
(14) seek permission and obtain the approval of a Corrective Services officer prior to any
change of residence;
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General terms
(15) (intentionally deleted)
(16) not to have any direct or indirect contact with a victim of his sexual offences without
the prior approval of the authorised corrective services officer;
Disclosure of activities
(17) respond truthfully to inquiries by Corrective Services officers about his whereabouts
and movements generally;
Motor vehicles
(18) notify a Corrective Services officer of the make, model, colour and registration
number of any vehicle owned by or generally driven by him, whether hired or
otherwise obtained for his use;
Treatment
(19) (intentionally deleted)
(20) (intentionally deleted)
(21) attend upon, and submit to, assessment and/or treatment by a psychiatrist,
psychologist, social worker, counsellor or other mental health professional as directed
by a Corrective Services officer at a frequency and duration which shall be
recommended by the treating intervention specialist;
(22) (intentionally deleted)
(23) permit any medical, psychiatric, psychological or other mental health practitioner to
disclose details of treatment, intervention and opinions relating to level of risk of re-
offending and compliance with this order to Queensland Corrective Services if such a
request is made for the purposes of updating or amending the supervision order, and/or
ensuring compliance with this order;
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(24) (intentionally deleted)
Contact with children
(25) not have any supervised or unsupervised contact with children under 16 years of age,
except with the prior written approval of a Corrective Services officer. The
respondent is required to fully disclose the terms of the order and nature of offences to
the guardians and caregivers of the children before any such contact can take place.
Queensland Corrective Services may disclose information pertaining to the respondent
to guardians or caregivers and external agencies (i.e. Department of Child Safety) in
the interests of ensuring the safety of the children;
(26) (intentionally deleted)
Attendance at places
(27) (intentionally deleted)
(28) not join, affiliate with, attend on the premises of, or attend at the activities carried on
by any club or organisation in respect of which there are reasonable grounds for
believing there is either child membership or child participation;
(29) (intentionally deleted)
(30) (intentionally deleted)
Pornography
(31) not access or possess pornographic images that display photographs or images of
children on a computer or on the internet or in any other format; and
Access to Information Technology
(32) permit a Corrective Services officer or a person nominated in writing by a Corrective
Services officer to access any computer or electronic device or storage media for any
such computer or device for the purpose of monitoring compliance with this order.
Signed: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Registrar of the Supreme Court of Queensland
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Official source: https://www.sclqld.org.au/caselaw/QSC/2017/146