❓ Mr. Katsambanis questions the Attorney General about the release and subsequent re-arrest of dangerous sex offender Edward Latimer. The Attorney General defends the government's monitoring system and highlights the court's decision and opposition's support for the relevant legislation.
AnsweredQoN 757Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DANGEROUS SEXUAL
OFFENDERS — EDWARD LATIMER
757. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
Why was Edward Latimer, a dangerous
sex offender, back in the Magistrates Court today, around nine weeks after the
Attorney General's government released him from prison?
OFFENDERS — EDWARD LATIMER
757. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
Why was Edward Latimer, a dangerous
sex offender, back in the Magistrates Court today, around nine weeks after the
Attorney General's government released him from prison?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question.
The court—not the government; an independent court—tested Mr
Latimer against the very new and strict rules for dangerous sex offenders and
released him on 52 conditions. He was in court today because one of the
conditions was that he obey the lawful order of a corrections officer. The
corrections officer said, ''Don't
go into Northbridge.'' However, he caught a bus to McIver station from
which he walked along Aberdeen Street towards Beaufort Street. He then
went behind a block of flats and urinated. This was being watched live on the
GPS tracking system introduced by the McGowan Labor government with an
investment of $52.3 million and he was in the area for a total of six minutes
under observation by the GPS. This proves that the system introduced by the
McGowan Labor government for the monitoring of these people works. He was in
the area for six minutes.
Under the new legislation, of
course, there is a presumption that people who breach orders will not get bail
except in exceptional circumstances. One of those exceptional circumstances,
which members opposite voted for when the bill came up for its final reading,
is that if the breach is of a trivial nature, the court has discretion to grant
bail. That is the bill members opposite supported and this morning, the court
applied that law.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
The court—not the government; an independent court—tested Mr
Latimer against the very new and strict rules for dangerous sex offenders and
released him on 52 conditions. He was in court today because one of the
conditions was that he obey the lawful order of a corrections officer. The
corrections officer said, ''Don't
go into Northbridge.'' However, he caught a bus to McIver station from
which he walked along Aberdeen Street towards Beaufort Street. He then
went behind a block of flats and urinated. This was being watched live on the
GPS tracking system introduced by the McGowan Labor government with an
investment of $52.3 million and he was in the area for a total of six minutes
under observation by the GPS. This proves that the system introduced by the
McGowan Labor government for the monitoring of these people works. He was in
the area for six minutes.
Under the new legislation, of
course, there is a presumption that people who breach orders will not get bail
except in exceptional circumstances. One of those exceptional circumstances,
which members opposite voted for when the bill came up for its final reading,
is that if the breach is of a trivial nature, the court has discretion to grant
bail. That is the bill members opposite supported and this morning, the court
applied that law.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
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