❓ Mr. Katsambanis questions the Attorney General about the circumstances surrounding Rowlan Kim Paul's release on bail and subsequent sexual assault. The Attorney General provides a detailed timeline of Paul's interactions with the justice system, highlighting his mental health issues and involvement with the Start Court program.
AnsweredQoN 356Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DANGEROUS SEXUAL
OFFENDERS — ROWLAN KIM PAUL
356. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
Before
I ask my question, if people cannot get a chance to travel to the regions on
this long weekend, they can come to Hillarys Boat Harbour, where the
traders will certainly appreciate their custom.
Can the Attorney General please
explain how dangerous sex predator Rowlan Kim Paul was allowed out on bail and
allowed to attack a young girl near Joondalup train station?
OFFENDERS — ROWLAN KIM PAUL
356. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Attorney General:
Before
I ask my question, if people cannot get a chance to travel to the regions on
this long weekend, they can come to Hillarys Boat Harbour, where the
traders will certainly appreciate their custom.
Can the Attorney General please
explain how dangerous sex predator Rowlan Kim Paul was allowed out on bail and
allowed to attack a young girl near Joondalup train station?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Hillarys for
his question. I preface my answer by extending the government's sincere
sympathy to the young lady who was attacked at Joondalup train station and to
her parents. She was only 17 and it was described in court as the worst day of
her life. Mr Paul, the prisoner now, who has been sentenced to over three years'
imprisonment, suffers from a mental health condition, as reported in The
West Australian . Regrettably, he was also a regular drug user and has
suffered periods of homelessness from his drug use. He has a criminal record
dating back to August 2013, which includes disorderly conduct, drug possession
and other matters that were dealt with by way of a fine. Until the recent
conviction in the District Court, he had no previous record indicating a risk
of sex offending. On 5 March 2019, Mr Paul was arrested and charged with
disorderly conduct and assault at the Joondalup shopping centre. He was released
by police on conditional bail. On 8 May 2019, he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, trespass and
assault of a Joondalup health hospital employee. Bail was opposed by the
police prosecutor and he was remanded in custody for psychiatric assessment. At
his next court appearance, Mr Paul was
deemed eligible for the Start Court program and released on bail to enter into
the program on 10 July 2019. The Start Court program was a great
initiative of the previous Liberal government, which started, I think, in 2013,
to deal specifically with people with mental health problems. To be eligible to
go into the Start Court program, the offender has to admit his wrongdoing. The
Start Court program offers a solution-focused response for individuals experiencing
mental health conditions.
Mr Paul continued in the Start Court
program until 17 November 2019, when he was again charged with disorderly
conduct, trespass and assault occasioning bodily harm from another incident at
Joondalup Health Campus where he attends as an outpatient. Bail was initially
refused by the police. However, the Joondalup Magistrates Court released him
back into the Start Court program, with strict bail conditions imposed. The
Start Court program operates from the Central Law Courts and has a specific
magistrate, who is fantastic. She was a prosecutor for the Director of Public
Prosecutions. I cannot speak highly enough of Her Honour, Judge Felicity
Zempilas. There are also mental health
workers in the court. As I said, Mr Paul was back into the Start Court program
with bail conditions imposed. He was then arrested for the attempted
sexual penetration on 13 December, five days before his next court appearance,
and charged with the offences.
The SPEAKER : Attorney General,
how long is this going for?
Mr J.R. QUIGLEY : About five
seconds.
At the end of it, he was charged
with attempted sexual penetration. That is the history of Mr Paul and how he
came to be in the Start Court as a mental health patient and released on strict
bail.
his question. I preface my answer by extending the government's sincere
sympathy to the young lady who was attacked at Joondalup train station and to
her parents. She was only 17 and it was described in court as the worst day of
her life. Mr Paul, the prisoner now, who has been sentenced to over three years'
imprisonment, suffers from a mental health condition, as reported in The
West Australian . Regrettably, he was also a regular drug user and has
suffered periods of homelessness from his drug use. He has a criminal record
dating back to August 2013, which includes disorderly conduct, drug possession
and other matters that were dealt with by way of a fine. Until the recent
conviction in the District Court, he had no previous record indicating a risk
of sex offending. On 5 March 2019, Mr Paul was arrested and charged with
disorderly conduct and assault at the Joondalup shopping centre. He was released
by police on conditional bail. On 8 May 2019, he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, trespass and
assault of a Joondalup health hospital employee. Bail was opposed by the
police prosecutor and he was remanded in custody for psychiatric assessment. At
his next court appearance, Mr Paul was
deemed eligible for the Start Court program and released on bail to enter into
the program on 10 July 2019. The Start Court program was a great
initiative of the previous Liberal government, which started, I think, in 2013,
to deal specifically with people with mental health problems. To be eligible to
go into the Start Court program, the offender has to admit his wrongdoing. The
Start Court program offers a solution-focused response for individuals experiencing
mental health conditions.
Mr Paul continued in the Start Court
program until 17 November 2019, when he was again charged with disorderly
conduct, trespass and assault occasioning bodily harm from another incident at
Joondalup Health Campus where he attends as an outpatient. Bail was initially
refused by the police. However, the Joondalup Magistrates Court released him
back into the Start Court program, with strict bail conditions imposed. The
Start Court program operates from the Central Law Courts and has a specific
magistrate, who is fantastic. She was a prosecutor for the Director of Public
Prosecutions. I cannot speak highly enough of Her Honour, Judge Felicity
Zempilas. There are also mental health
workers in the court. As I said, Mr Paul was back into the Start Court program
with bail conditions imposed. He was then arrested for the attempted
sexual penetration on 13 December, five days before his next court appearance,
and charged with the offences.
The SPEAKER : Attorney General,
how long is this going for?
Mr J.R. QUIGLEY : About five
seconds.
At the end of it, he was charged
with attempted sexual penetration. That is the history of Mr Paul and how he
came to be in the Start Court as a mental health patient and released on strict
bail.
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