Woman raped at gunpoint by ‘sexual sadist’ when she was 12 years old issues warning as he is FREED

Notorious rapist Robert John Fardon (pictured) will no longer be subject to curfews, counselling or restrictions on where he can live

A woman raped at gunpoint by a notorious Queensland sexual predator says the idea of him living in the community unsupervised should terrify people.

Sharon Tomlinson, who was raped when she was just 12, says the advanced age of sexual predator Robert John Fardon should not reduce his risk of re-offending.

A Brisbane Supreme Court decision on Monday dismissed a Queensland government attempt to extend a supervision order against Fardon.

It means the 69-year-old, who has a history of attacking females dating back to the 1960s, will be released unmonitored into the community when the order expires in October.

He was originally jailed in 1989 for the rape of a woman, and was kept locked up longer than his initial release date in 2003 after being deemed too dangerous to be returned to the community. 

He was released on a supervision order in 2006, before being thrown back in jail in 2008 on another charge of rape – which was later overturned on appeal.     

Sharon Tomlinson (pictured) who was raped at gunpoint when she was just 12 by a notorious Queensland sexual predator says people should be terrified of him living unsupervised

Sharon Tomlinson (pictured) who was raped at gunpoint when she was just 12 by a notorious Queensland sexual predator says people should be terrified of him living unsupervised

After a lengthy fight with the government, Fardon finally won his release on a new supervision order in 2014.

He has not breached any conditions of that order while living in the community.   

Lawyers for Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath took the unusual step of seeking to have his supervision order extended beyond its October expiry date.

However, the government lost its Supreme Court bid on Monday, meaning Fardon will no longer be subject to curfews, counselling or restrictions on where he can live.

The government’s lawyers had argued that Fardon remained a danger to the community without the order, which gave him support in times of stress, frustration and anger.   

Among his reasons for dismissing the government’s bid, Justice David Jackson said the risk of rapists re-offending ‘becomes very low after the age of 65’. 

Ms Tomlinson, who has previously agreed to be identified as one of Fardon's victims, was part of a vocal campaign in 2013 to keep him locked up

Ms Tomlinson, who has previously agreed to be identified as one of Fardon’s victims, was part of a vocal campaign in 2013 to keep him locked up

Ms Tomlinson dismissed the suggestion Fardon, who has emphysema, was less of a risk due to his age.  

‘This man might be 69 years old but he is a sexual sadist … what do you think he’s going to do at 69? He’s going to go for the more vulnerable, probably younger children or really elderly women or disabled women,’ Ms Tomlinson told AAP.

‘I have no doubt about that.’

A spokeswoman for Mrs D’Ath told AAP she is examining whether there are any legal grounds for an appeal.

SERIAL RAPIST ROBERT FARDON’S LIFE OF CRIME

1967 – Convicted at 18 for attempted carnal knowledge of a girl under 10. Released on a good behaviour bond.

1978 – Raped a 12-year-old girl, wounded her sister. Fled to the Northern Territory but was caught and jailed.

1988 – Broke parole by travelling to Townsville. Violently raped and assaulted a woman. Sent back to jail.

2003 – Became the first person in Queensland to be jailed indefinitely under new laws targeting repeat sex offenders.

2006 – Released on a supervision order with 32 conditions.

2007 – Breached the order by going to a school, breaching curfew and travelling to Townsville. He’s briefly returned to prison before released in October.

2008 – Re-arrested over rape of a 61-year-old intellectually disabled woman.

2010 – Sentenced to 10 years’ jail for the rape. The conviction was quashed on appeal a few months later but Fardon remained in jail due to other earlier breaches of a supervision order.

2011 – Government launches lengthy court battle to keep him in jail.

2013 – Released on supervision order.

2014 – Brief return to prison before court orders Fardon’s release into supervised accommodation.

August 2018 – Court denies a Queensland government bid to extend a supervision order governing how Fardon lives in the community. It expires in October.

Source: AAP 

Ms Tomlinson, who has previously agreed to be identified as one of Fardon’s victims, was part of a vocal campaign in 2013 to keep him locked up.

At the time, she told AAP of the harrowing day in 1978 when Fardon approached her as she played in the front yard of her Redcliffe home, asking her if she wanted to come for a cuddle of his newborn son.

Fardon’s son had been born that day but Ms Tomlinson did not get to meet the baby.

Instead Fardon held a gun to her head, repeatedly choked her and raped her, with a smirk on his face.     

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