TIMELINE OF A REPEAT OFFENDER

1969: Robert Fardon commits first offence aged 18 in northern NSW. Appears in Murwillumbah and Grafton courts for attempted carnal knowledge of 10-year-old girl.

1980: Sentenced to eight years’ jail for raping Sharon Tomlinson, then 12. Leaves jail eight years later, only to be arrested 20 days later for sex offences.

June 1989: Sentenced to 14 years in prison for rape and sodomy.

November 2003: Becomes first person in Queensland detained indefinitely under the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act.

December 2005: Still considered a public risk, but freed a year later under a supervision order, causing a public outcry. July 2007: Arrested in North Queensland and sent back to jail. Released two months later.

October 2008: Arrested for raping mentally impaired Gold Coast woman.

May 2010: Found guilty of rape and jailed for 10 years, only for conviction to be overturned on appeal.

December 2011: Attorney-General moves to stop Fardon’s release.

2013: Released on supervision order.

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

2015: Fardon allowed on escorted outings, gains his learner’s licence and learns how to use a mobile phone.

February 2017: Fardon gets his driver’s licence.

February 2018: Given permission to visit male “day spas” to “meet his sexual needs”.

August 2018: Attorney-General loses bid to stop Fardon’s release.

September 2018: Attorney-General appeals decision ordering Fardon’s release.

October 2018: Fardon suffers a heart attack.

January 9, 2019: Justice Helen Bowskill orders Fardon’s release. She bans media from publishing any details of her decision for seven days.

January 16, 2019: Media are free to report on Fardon’s release.