The taxpayer has funded $500,000 of legal aid for an alleged paedophile on trial for murdering children, human trafficking and rape, it has been revealed.
Disgraced former Melbourne businessman Peter Scully is accused of several serious offences in The Philippines where he is currently being held.
Scully denies all the allegations against him as it emerged public money has been spent defending him since 2015.
Disgraced former Melbourne businessman Peter Scully is standing trial in the Philippines
The taxpayer has funded $500,000 of legal aid for Mr Scully’s defence against 75 charges
Scully being arrested in the Philippines (pictured) is accused of an array of offences against children
The legal aid is funded through a government controlled support scheme for Australians abroad facing prosecution.
The Serious Overseas Criminal Matters Scheme aims to assist defendants who could be sentenced to the death penalty or jail terms of more than 20 years.
But the scheme is under review by Attorney-General, Christian Porter, The Australian reports.
He told the publication: ‘There are circumstances where such support is absolutely appropriate.
‘However, determinations in this case [Scully’s] were made prior to my becoming Attorney-General.
Scully’s alleged victims will have to present evidence at the trial after he denied all the counts against him
Police in the Philippines allege Scully murdered and raped a girl and produced and distributed child pornography on the dark web
‘I had already asked my department for information on the scheme, including this particular case, with a view to considering changes.’
Mr Porter said alterations to the scheme could include circumstances ‘similar to Mr Scully’ or those with a history of sex offending and other ‘relevant’ previous convictions.
Figures published by The Australian said in 2016-17 there was more than $1.1 million paid out to Australian citizens.
The total number of defendants facing charges overseas using the funds was not disclosed.
Scully fled Australia in 2011 pending charges relating to fraud after an investigation by authorities in Victoria
Scully fled Australia in 2011 pending charges relating to fraud for his alleged involvement in a home buyer scheme.
He is now accused of producing and distributing several pornographic on the dark web involving children.
One such film, called Daisy’s Destruction, caused prosecutors to break down in tears after they discovered it and linked it to Scully.
The video is alleged to show a baby girl being tied upside down by her feet, sexually assaulted and bashed repeatedly.
Scully is also accused of raping a 12-year-old girl before strangling her and burying the body in a grave underneath a property
The little girl was aged around 18-months at the time but survived and is said to still suffer physical and mental torment from the ordeal.
Police in the Philippines claim Scully sold videos over the internet for $10,000 each.
But Scully, who is facing multiple life terms if convicted, has denied 75 charges relating to extreme pornography and other suspected offences.
He is also accused of raping a 12-year-old girl before strangling her and burying the body in a grave underneath a property in Surigao in the south of the country.
Attorney-General Christian Porter said a review of the government scheme was under way
In separate charges, Scully is also accused of tying up two teenage girls and leaving them naked at an apartment he rented.
As a result of Scully denying the charges against him, his alleged victims will have to give evidence in court.
It was previously reported Scully’s lawyer quit after saying his client was treating prison like a hotel and demanded 5kg of beef, a mobile phone and two visits per week.
Other people who have received money from the government’s scheme include terror sympathiser David Hicks, drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury and Bali Nine runners Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan who were executed in Indonesia after receiving funds.