A child rapist who was spared jail because of his high cholesterol joins a long list of paedophiles let off the hook from serving jail time despite being convicted in recent years.
New South Wales Opposition leader Luke Foley slammed the suspended sentence handed down to a Dubbo man, 55, who pleaded guilty to historic sex offences.
The man, known as TM, joins several other paedophiles who have been allowed to walk away scot-free without jail time for astonishing reasons.
A child rapist who was spared jail because of high cholesterol joins a long list of paedophiles let off the hook in recent years (pictured in NSW Opposition leader Luke Foley)
‘If you rape children you belong in prison,’ said Mr Foley, The Daily Telegraph reported.
‘I don’t care if this bloke suffered high cholesterol or suffered drought on his farm, he belongs in prison.’
Mr Foley demanded NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman appeal the sentence, saying he has the authority to order an appeal immediately.
‘This would be a rare use of the power, but I can’t think of a greater argument for the use of that power than this case here,’ he said.
New South Wales Opposition leader Luke Foley slammed the suspended sentence handed down to the Dubbo man known as TM (pictured is Peter Andrews, given a suspended sentence on the Gold Coast)
Victims were outraged at District Court Judge John North list of bizarre reasons for letting TM escape prison time despite pleading guilty to historic sex offences.
Judge North spoke of TM’s ‘good character’ and naivety because of his lack of sex education, as well as his sleep deprivation over the case.
The judge noted TM’s diabetes, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease would be difficult to treat in prison, where he would have to be contained in isolation.
The Dubbo child rapist’s suspended sentence is the latest in a series of cases in which paedophiles have walked free around Australia.
In May a judge gave Peter Andrews, 64, a similar suspended sentence after the accused said he had terminal cancer, Nine News reported.
Andrews, who lives metres from a childcare centre, was found guilty of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl after luring her to his home with video games and a dog.
A Victorian judge gave Franco Abad, a security guard at the Melbourne Children’s Court, a two-year good behaviour bond in November 2016, News.com.au reported.
A jury found Abad guilty of sexual penetration of a child under 16, but Judge Christopher Ryan called his actions ‘understandable’ because his victim was ‘nubile’.
TM, 55, joins several other paedophiles who have been allowed to walk away scot-free for astonishing reasons (pictured is serial paedophile Philip Carey)
The court heard the girl, 14, told Abad she was 17, but he had sex with her after police warned him she was underage.
Also in Melbourne, music teacher Sigmund Sokolowski escaped jail in 2014 despite molesting 16 female students over two decades, The Herald Sun reported.
He pleaded guilty to committing indecent assault and committing an indecent act with a child under 16 between 1987 and 2006.
Judge Philip Coish gave Sokolowski a two-year suspended sentence, even though he was found guilty of similar offences in 2008.
During sentencing, Judge Coish noted Sokolowski has not offended since successfully completely a sex offenders program.
In South Australia, serial paedophile Philip Carey breached a restraining order when he attended a library used by children, The Advertiser reported.
Magistrate Terry Forrest sentenced Carey to a three-month suspended sentence despite noting the breach ‘occurred against a background of very serious offending involving the risk of harm or actual harm to children’.
Carey is a serial pedophile with a criminal record dating back to 1961, including sex offences committed against young boys and child pornography offences.
Mr Foley demanded NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman (pictured) appeal the sentence, saying he has the authority to order an appeal immediately