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ONE of Australia's worst child sex predators is living in a northwest Melbourne suburb, only metres from two schools and a sports ground. The Sunday Herald Sun has tracked Charles Alan Smith , 72, to an address in Sunbury where he is living with his daughter and son-in-law. Smith is one of five interstate pedophiles secretly living in Victoria with the State Government's approval. Last week, this newspaper revealed Smith was moved secretly to Melbourne in May after serving less than eight years of a 15-year jail term for sexually abusing boys aged 10-17. In 1997, Smith, then 65, was jailed for sexually molesting boys in his care. He had earlier pleaded guilty to 76 offences against 20 boys in Perth from 1958 to 1977. Smith was sacked by the Salvation Army in 1974 after receiving a good behaviour bond for child molestation, but was reinstated five years later. The State Government has refused to release details of the predators, their whereabouts or their parole conditions, but the Sunday Herald Sun understands all are housed in Melbourne suburbs. The office of Police and Corrections Minister Tim Holding has confirmed that five interstate pedophiles have moved to Victoria in the past three years under a parole exchange scheme. Smith, whose depraved abuse of children was described by a Perth judge as "close to the outer limits of depravity", has not left his hideaway in the past two days. His daughter's only comments were: "Go away, stop harassing us. You are endangering our lives." The house in which Smith now lives is 100m from children's sports grounds and two blocks from primary and secondary schools. Dozens of children unknowingly walked past Smith's new address on the way to and from school on Friday and hundreds were playing on the sports grounds yesterday. The Sunday Herald Sun saw no evidence that Smith was being monitored and authorities have admitted he is not fitted with an electronic bracelet. A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "It is a concern. A lot of school kids walk directly past the house. "There is a primary school and a high school within one kilometre and there's a pre-school close by as well." Another neighbour, who has three children, said Smith's relocation was "an outrage". "How can they just plonk him down among us and not say anything?," the mother said. "It's outrageous. He's a dangerous man and we deserve to at least know he's here." Another woman, who gave her name as Marilyn, said: "It's a family area and there is no way we want people like that around here. I think people will be a little more concerned about their kids because they just roam the streets around here." Eggs have been splattered on the front window of the small brick-veneer house where Smith is living and abuse was yelled from passing cars. Opposition Leader Robert Doyle said pedophiles should be banned from living within 500m of schools and that their victims should be notified of prison release dates and the general location of where the pedophiles will live. "Traditionally, when an offender has done their time, they are entitled to return to society with a clean slate," Mr Doyle said. "That should not apply to serial pedophiles. Research shows that many have a high risk of committing further offences." Mr Doyle said that, on release from jail, serial pedophiles should face indefinite monitoring, including electronic bracelets, curfews and ongoing treatment. Corrections Minister Tim Holding said there were provisions for serial sex offenders to be fitted with electronic bracelets. "We have laws that allow for them to be monitored after they've finished their sentence," he said. Sunday Herald Sun (28-8-2005) Ian Haberfield/ Kelvin Healey |
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