Child rapist back in jail
A CONVICTED child rapist who was released from jail two years ago is back behind bars after his stash of depraved images of child abuse was discovered.
Stephen John Kennedy, 58, faced Townsville District Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material and breaching his supervision order.
Prosecutor Ashleigh Moss said Kennedy was behind bars serving another sentence for breaching his supervision order when his further offending came to light.
Ms Moss said Kennedy’s roommate alerted police in August last year when they found a phone and laptop hidden in the room the pair shared at supervised housing for released prisoners.
“While he was incarcerated (his) roommate … discovered a bag of electronics concealed in the couch,” she said.
Ms Moss said the phone and laptop were purchased from a pawn shop and a forensic examination discovered 2710 images and 26 videos of child abuse.
More than 1000 pictures and 17 videos depicted the sexual abuse or genitalia of prepubescent children under 13 with some of the depraved material including children forced into bestiality.
At the time of his offending Kennedy was living in the community on a supervised release order under the Dangerous Prisoner Sexual Offenders Act, which imposed 48 “strict” conditions, which limited his use of technology, Ms Moss said.
The order was imposed after he served a sentence handed down in 2009 when he was convicted of raping and taking explicit photographs of two young girls, aged eight and three, as well as abusing and photographing three other children.
Defence barrister Victoria Trafford-walker said Kennedy witnessed “shocking” domestic and criminal violence as a child.
She detailed incidents of horrific sexual abuse and said due to the dysfunction Kennedy was homeless from a young age.
Judge Gregory Lynham said Kennedy’s offending was “far from a victimless crime” but said the sentence he handed down would have no impact as Kennedy would remain behind bars waiting for another court to determine his status under the Dangerous Prisoner Sexual Offenders Act.
“The simple reality is you will not be released back into the community for at least a further two months and potentially not for another year beyond that,” Judge Lynham said.
Kennedy was sentenced to a head sentence of three years suspended forthwith with the 386 days he spent on remand considered time already served. He will remain behind bars at least until late November when another court will determine if he should be released from custody under the Dangerous Prisoner Sexual Offenders Act.