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THE risk of child molester Brian "Mr Baldy" Jones sexually assaulting another child was as high as 54 per cent unless he was monitored, a court has heard. In the words of the convicted pedophile himself, a 15-year supervision order granted by a judge yesterday was his "only chance" at rehabilitation. Freed after serving 12 years in prison for serious sex crimes, Jones, 58, will be bound by a strict monitoring regime until 2020 to reduce the high risk of him reoffending. Describing the case as one of the worst, County Court Chief Judge Michael Rozenes said he was satisfied Jones would molest again if left to his own devices. In a report to the court, psychologist Karen Owen predicted there was a 39 per cent chance Jones would be convicted of a new sexual crime in the next five years. The probability rose to 54 per cent within 15 years. Though Jones had completed an intervention program and was on drugs to reduce sexual arousal, the regime had yet to be tested. All past treatments of him had been ineffective. Jones was being treated when he sexually assaulted two boys, aged 6 and 9, within three months of his release from prison in 1989 for similar offences. The court heard he had been carefully planning the attacks while in custody. Jones -- who appeared at yesterday's hearing by video link -- did not contest the application by the Department of Justice to extend supervision of him. The 15-year term of the order is the longest available under the state's new Serious Sex Offenders Monitoring Act. Chief Judge Rozenes said Jones had demonstrated some insight into his problems when he agreed to the order and had confided to psychologist James Ogloff: "This is not my last chance, it is my only chance." In his report, Professor Ogloff said Jones's risk of reoffending in a violent sexual manner was moderate to high, and would increase over time. He told the court Jones fitted the criteria for the diagnosis of pedophilia, having a particular attraction for young boys that was "very well entrenched". "It must be remembered . . . he has an entrenched sexual deviance that has been resistant to change in the past," he said. Prof Ogloff recommended Jones be banned from contact with children under 16, remain in a designated house, and receive treatment from an experienced forensic psychiatrist. A prohibition on public access to the full content of Jones's assessment reports remains, as does the ban on publishing information from court proceedings that reveal his whereabouts. The court heard Jones had warned a psychologist his public notoriety increased the likelihood of his reoffending. Jones, concerned about possible media reports detailing past victimisation, had refused to confide in experts about his childhood. He was excused from attending the hearing in person over his treating doctor's concerns that media scrutiny would increase his levels of stress and anxiety. "Brian Jones is currently reporting irregular sleep patterns, diminished mood, and expressing recurrent fears and concerns about returning to Melbourne, attending court, media interest and being subjected to vigilante activities," the doctor's affidavit read. In making the supervision order, Chief Judge Rozenes set out eight further conditions to be applied. These include banning Jones from moving to a new address or leaving Victoria without permission. He must also notify authorities of any change of name or employment. The exact terms of the order, which could include electronic tagging, will be determined by the Adult Parole Board. The order will be subject to a review every three years. Jones retains the right to apply for a review at any time. Herald Sun (11-8-2005) Christine Caulfield |
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VICTIMS of the Mr Baldy pedophile ring fear the group will reunite and reoffend now the four members are out of jail. Ringleader Gordon Taylor, 46, his wife, Deborah, 44, and their former housemate, Robert Henderson, 63, have been joined back in the community by Mr Baldy, Brian Keith Jones. The four - three of whom teamed up in prison - inflicted sexual abuse on six children between 1988 and 1991. The mother of two victims said: "I've always said God help Victoria when they're all out." A victim said: "They're sick and they shouldn't be out." The revelation came as an exclusive Sunday Herald Sun survey found most Australians wanted the names and addresses of serial child-sex offenders made public. Jones - named Mr Baldy because he shaved the heads of six children he abducted and sexually abused - was jailed in 1981 for 32 years. He reoffended within weeks of his release on parole in 1989. Jones - formerly Brendon John Megson - was jailed again in 1992 for 14 years over attacks on children under 10. He was released on parole from Ararat prison on July 13. In 2003, Gordon Taylor was released on parole - despite being sentenced to 23 years for pleading guilty to 88 child-sex offences. Taylor, who is still on parole, was identified as the head of the pedophile ring and described by the sentencing judge as a "depraved and wicked man" who engaged in "grossly sexually deviant" offences. Henderson's non-parole period expired in 2001. He was dealt a 12-year term after pleading guilty to 61 offences. Deborah Taylor was sentenced to three years' jail, with a minimum of two, for her role in the sex racket - she held down a child while he was raped. Gordon Taylor, Henderson and Jones met in Sale prison, where they were serving time for sex offences in the early 1980s. They fantasised about building a prison farm where they would molest the attractive children and use the others as slaves. Within weeks of his release from Sale prison in 1989, Mr Baldy began reoffending with help from his accomplices. Deborah Taylor had taken some victims-to-be to visit him in jail in the 1980s. Forensic psychologist Ian Joblin said pedophiles often sought strength in numbers. "They support each other. It legitimises their behaviour - they think if there are two of us or more it must be all right," he said. He said history showed there was a risk the group might re-offend. The Sunday Herald Sun poll, conducted by Ipsos, found 76 per cent of women and 66 per cent of men believed they should be made aware of pedophiles living in the community. Support for the move - 75 per cent - was strongest among people aged 18 to 24. It was lowest - 66 per cent - among people aged 45 and 54. "The assumption underlying this result is that the public has low confidence in the ability to rehabilitate child-sex offenders through the criminal justice system," Ipsos general manager Randall Pearce said. Police Minister Tim Holding highlighted a range of measures, including extended supervision orders and the Sex Offenders Register, in a bid to appease public anxieties over repeat sex offenders. "The public can be reassured that every precaution is being taken to protect the community against these people," he said. He also said the Victim's Register allowed victims to find out about the offender's parole status. But the mother of one victim said that was not enough. Victims needed addresses, she said. "It's ridiculous. They know where we are because we have restraining orders, but we can't know where they are," she said. "This is an absolute outrage. Victims have no rights - we don't even know where they are." Corrections Commissioner Kelvin Anderson said Jones was banned from interacting with other pedophiles and children under his parole conditions. "Under those conditions, he is banned from associating with his co-offenders or having any contact with any other convicted sex offender," he said. Sunday Herald Sun (24-7-2005) Carly Crawford |
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PROPOSED laws to keep Mr Baldy behind bars indefinitely were rejected by the Bracks Government last year. And it has emerged it could cost up to $1 million a year to keep the convicted child rapist in the community- compared with about $60,000 in jail. The former police and corrections minister, Andre Haermeyer, wanted to introduce laws similar to Queensland- which give courts the discretion to detain indefinitely anyone considered a continuing danger to society. But Cabinet, led by Attorney-General Rob Hulls and current Police Minister Tim Holding, overruled him. Mr Haermeyer was dumped from the police portfolio in January. Had the Queensland model been adopted, it would have ensured child sex predators such as Brian Keith Jones, who left Ararat prison this week after almost 14 years in jail, were never released. Jones -- named Mr Baldy after shaving the heads of six children he abducted and sexually abused -- was jailed in 1981 and reoffended within days of his release in 1989. Jones- formerly Brendon John Megson- was jailed again in 1992 for 14 years. The Government has admitted Mr Baldy could reoffend, yet under current laws he could be "let loose on society", without supervision or monitoring, when his parole period ends next month. The proposed laws also could have applied to people, such as Hoddle St killer Julian Knight, jailed on serious crimes other than sex offences. Knight, 36, who shot dead seven people and wounded 19 in the 1987, is serving a 27-year minimum term in Barwon Prison. He will be eligible for parole in 2014. Opposition Leader Robert Doyle said Mr Haermeyer deserved credit for proposing laws that would protect the community. "The Premier needs to explain why the Government didn't do what was required to protect the community," he said. Premier Steve Bracks yesterday left the door open to reconsider the Queensland model. Mr Bracks said Mr Baldy had to abide by the toughest parole conditions imposed in Victoria. Corrections Victoria and the Government refused to detail the cost of monitoring Mr Baldy, but sources estimated it could reach $1 million a year. Sources said the figure included housing, legal matters associated with applying for an extended supervision order, welfare payments, counselling and supervision. Mr Baldy was released to an Ascot Vale home on Wednesday, but was removed to an unknown destination when the Herald Sun revealed he had been housed near schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and young families. Sunday Herald Sun (17-7-2005) Ian Haberfield/ Carly Crawford |
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PREMIER Steve Bracks has rejected calls to put child rapist Mr Baldy back behind bars. Mr Bracks said yesterday he was so confident authorities could protect the community from Brian Keith Jones that he would be happy to have him live next door. Authorities conceded yesterday they had no power to force the convicted sex predator to continue taking medication to dull his sex urges. And police, whose job it was to investigate crime in the area incorporating Melbourne Showgrounds, said they'd been kept in the dark about Mr Baldy being placed in Ascot Vale after his release on parole. "As an investigator, you need to know which recently released crooks are living in the neighbourhood so when a particular crime is committed, you know which doors to knock on first," one source said. The Premier defended secrecy surrounding Mr Baldy and the first choice of authorities to place him in a house close to schools, playgrounds and a swimming pool. "I think they did the best they could in very difficult circumstances," he said. Asked if he would be happy having Mr Baldy as a neighbour, the Premier said: "I would feel absolutely confident that the authorities had the power and the responsibility to do everything possible to supervise this person." Mr Baldy was released this week after almost 14 years in prison, and will remain under strict conditions until next month. Corrections Victoria confirmed last night arrangements were being made to set up pension payments through Centrelink for the convicted pedophile. A spokeswoman said the same conditions existing under the Parole Board supervision order could be applied for in court as part of any extended supervision order. She confirmed authorities had no power to force inmates, parolees or people under supervision orders to take medication. Mr Baldy is believed to have voluntarily been taking cyproterone acetate tablets, an anti-androgen and progestogen that acts to suppress the production of testosterone and blocks its action. Mr Baldy was moved to an undisclosed location on Thursday after he was found by the Herald Sun living in Kent St, Ascot Vale, sparking outrage. "I understand the anger," Mr Bracks said. "But what I say to the people of Victoria, and the people of Kent St as well, is that the authorities have more power to supervise this criminal at the end of his sentence, unprecedented power, the greatest supervision arrangements that have ever been in place under parole conditions at any time in Victoria's history." Mr Bracks said the Government had taken every measure possible to protect the community because of the horrendous nature of the crimes involved, but rejected using special legislation to return Mr Baldy to jail. Opposition Leader Robert Doyle said the handling of Mr Baldy's release had been a "complete stuff-up". Mr Doyle said he accepted Mr Baldy had to be placed somewhere but said the Ascot Vale home was the wrong choice. "Given that they got it so wrong at their first attempt, and now they're being secretive about what they're doing, how can we have any confidence the Government will get it right the second or third try?" Former Pentridge chaplain Peter Norden, who had regular contact with Mr Baldy in jail, conceded he was a big reoffending risk. Herald Sun (16-7-2005) Peter Mickelburough/ Paul Anderson |
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IT could not even be said that Brian Keith Jones had good intentions when he was released from prison in 1989. Rather than fighting his depraved urges, the man known as Mr Baldy embraced them, scheming to arrange more victims. Within three weeks of being freed, he sexually assaulted a young boy. That victim's brother was the next to suffer, beginning a 14-month ordeal in which the siblings were also molested. One of the brothers, Andrew, yesterday said Jones would never stop offending. "He's not a man, he's a dog," an angry Andrew said. "Despite the supervision he's living under, there are no guarantees with him. Nothing will stop him if he's got it on his mind." The signs were all bad before the 1989 release. Jones had been serving a minimum 12 years after being convicted of 18 charges, including child stealing, indecent assault and unlawful assault. He did eight years, but even this did not force a rethink. While behind bars, he sent a tape to the parents of two young children asking him to prepare his "lover boy". The tape revealed his fantasy of having a world where he could take stolen children and "make love to the cute ones and treat the others as slaves". A month before the 1989 release of Jones, former Victorian police officer Jack Ford made a chilling assessment of his rehabilitation prospects. "He's a pedophile and he won't be able to stop himself. It's like putting a weasel in a chicken coop and saying: 'Don't eat'," Mr Ford said. Herald Sun (15-7-2005) Mark Buttler/ Paul Anderson |
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VICTORIA'S worst pedophile, Mr Baldy, was given a home within walking distance of primary schools, playgrounds and swimming pools after he was let out of jail. The Herald Sun yesterday tracked down and confronted Brian Keith Jones -- known as Mr Baldy -- on the first day of his parole release after authorities refused to reveal where he was living or what he looked like after almost 14 years in jail. When approached, he refused to apologise to his victims or deny he would re-offend. Corrections Victoria immediately moved in and spirited him away from Ascot Vale, but not before locals expressed their outrage. Derek Price said the thought of Mr Baldy living in his street made his skin crawl. v "I'm shocked, scared and angry that he can be put in an area like this with schools around," the 20-year Kent St resident said. "We've got children going past here . . . five, six years old and younger. What he's done previously, he could do again couldn't he?" One of Mr Baldy's victims, Andrew, last night said he could not find the words to describe the decision to house the pedophile in an area with a high concentration of schools and kindergartens. "There's no way of explaining it. It's beyond belief," Andrew said. "In all God's honesty, how could you put that man that close to schools and next to people who don't know who he is? The Government should have their a---s kicked." Jones -- formerly Brendon John Megson -- was first jailed in 1981 for abducting and sexually abusing six young children whose heads he shaved. Only days after his release in 1989, he carried out sex attacks on two boys and was jailed for 14 years. Mr Baldy was photographed yesterday at 137 Kent St, Ascot Vale, where Corrections Victoria placed him to live under strict supervision. The area is home to hundreds of children who attend local schools and kindergartens. The Melbourne Showgrounds -- which in September will host tens of thousands of children during the Royal Melbourne Show -- are a 10-minute walk from the Kent St house. Corrections Victoria immediately moved Mr Baldy after the Herald Sun approached him yesterday. It is believed he was taken to an alternative residence and will not be returning to the Ascot Vale house. Authorities had hoped the home would be his secret long-term residence. Dressed in a dark jumper and pants, Mr Baldy stopped briefly to check his bin before briskly walking to the awaiting Corrections Victoria car yesterday. The Herald Sun asked him: "Are you going to offend again?" and "Have you got anything to say to your victims?" The notorious sex offender declined to answer. Instead, he put his head in his hands as the officers drove him to the Corrections Victoria offices in Carlton. He remained there for the rest of the day while, back at the house, Corrections officers removed a garbage bag and a box of his belongings. A real estate agency said the home was leased two weeks ago. Despite public concerns, the State Government yesterday refused to release a photograph of Mr Baldy for fear of vigilante retribution against him. Mr Baldy is living under strict supervision, including 24-hour monitoring and escorted outings. It is believed he has an electronic tracking device attached to his body. On Wednesday, Corrections Victoria Commissioner Kelvin Anderson said the measures were the most stringent ever to be implemented in Victoria. When the Herald Sun asked if he could guarantee Mr Baldy was not living close to young children, Mr Anderson said: "The supervision arrangements that we have in place are so stringent that we will know where he is and when we approve him to leave his accommodation, he will be in our company." The conditions will last until his parole period finishes next month. Under the Serious Sex Offenders Monitoring Act, the Justice Department can apply through the courts to have the supervision period extended. However, Mr Baldy can fight any application. Herald Sun (15-7-2005) Anthony Dowsley/ Paul Anderson |
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Victoria's most notorious pedophile has been released from jail under the strictest conditions ever imposed on a former prisoner. Brian Keith Jones, 58, was released before dawn from Ararat Prison, where he had served the majority of his 14-year maximum jail sentence. He is the first Victorian released on parole wearing an electronic anklet. Jones was dubbed "Mr Baldy" for his practice of kidnapping young boys, shaving their heads, dressing them in girls' clothing and molesting them. He was jailed in 1981 to 32 years' jail on 18 charges of child stealing and indecent assault. Released after eight years, he was convicted again in 1992, of the sexual penetration of a child and sentenced to 12 years and four months' jail. He is on a nightly curfew and cannot leave the house when children are around. While on parole, when he does leave his new public housing residence, he must be escorted by a Department of Corrections officer, and he is not allowed near schools or any other places where there might be children. His earliest eligible parole date was August 2003, but the Adult Parole Board set a provisional parole date for March this year, 19 months later. Jones, formerly known as Brendon Megson, was not released in March, after several prospective properties were deemed unsuitable. He is understood to be wearing an electronic anklet which allows for monitoring 24 hours a day. Corrections Commissioner Kelvin Anderson said Jones was on one of the strictest ever parole programs in the state. If Jones fails to comply with any conditions, he will be immediately reported to the adult parole board. His parole expires on August 21 but the Department of Justice can apply to a court to continue the monitoring program. Mr Anderson would not disclose Jones' whereabouts but said he would be living alone in departmental housing in Victoria. He said Jones' victims and their families were notified of the release but his new neighbours were not. His imminent release prompted the Victorian Government to rush through measures restricting the movement of dangerous sex offenders. Earlier this year, the Government investigated satellite global positioning systems (GPS) to track convicted serial sex offenders. Electronic home detention was introduced as an alternative to prison in Victoria last year but continuous electronic surveillance of serial sex offenders breaks new ground. The State Government rushed through legislation through Parliament in the autumn session to allow electronic tagging of sex offenders, house arrest, reporting requirements and bans on mixing with children. The Government modelled its proposals on New Zealand laws that permit corrections officers to apply for extended supervision orders for sex offenders considered a threat after release. The Age (13-7-2005) Selma Milovanovic |
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CHILD-sex predator Mr Baldy will spend the rest of his life under the microscope when he walks free in August. But his immediate future remains less certain as authorities struggle to find him parole accommodation that is suitably isolated from children. Having unsuccessfully scoured suburban Melbourne for a suitable spot, Corrections Victoria staff are understood to be considering options outside the city. The pedophile, who re-offended within three weeks of his previous jail release, will have served his current prison term in full on August 21. When Mr Baldy, 58, walks free he will be subjected to layers of scrutiny from some of Victoria's most experienced parole officers. The toughest will be the new extended supervision order, an unprecedented application that is understood to be in the pipeline. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald Sun, Corrections Commissioner Kelvin Anderson outlined the suite of post-release checks that high-risk sex-offenders will be exposed to, including: MAINTENANCE of the sex offenders program they underwent in jail. ROUTINE parole supervision from the most experienced officers in the state. REGISTRATION on the sex offenders' database, which records current and previous names, addresses, car registrations and even distinctive birthmarks. UP TO 15 years' monitoring - possibly by electronic bracelets - under new supervision powers. Mr Anderson said he could not comment on specific cases, but he said the extended supervision order would be useful in cases such as Mr Baldy's. "This is exactly the sort of case that Corrections Victoria would be putting through the assessment process," he said. To obtain the order, the Department of Justice secretary would have to apply to the courts. The order would impose a range of parole conditions, such as reporting to police, and might include random drug and alcohol tests. It would last up to 15 years from the time the offender's full sentence expired. After 15 years, authorities could re-apply to the courts. Department of Justice sources say plans are being developed to make an application to rein in Mr Baldy using the order. In the meantime, his prospects for parole release before August 21 appear grim. Mr Baldy is eligible for parole, but Corrections Victoria has yet to find anywhere suitable to house him. It is believed authorities have unsuccessfully searched within a 40km radius of Melbourne's CBD. They checked for re-offending triggers, such as schools and other facilities for children, near potential parole dwellings. The Sunday Herald Sun understands Corrections officers will meet soon to consider other housing options, possibly in regional areas. Parole is seen as a vital step in re-integrating prisoners to the community, with offenders under close scrutiny from the Adult Parole Board. Mr Baldy's victims can monitor his progress through the prison and parole system's new victims' register. Sunday Herald Sun (10-4-2005) Carly Crawford |
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NOTORIOUS pedophile Mr Baldy was to be housed next to a family with two young boys before the bureaucratic bungle was halted. It is believed Brian Keith Jones, known as Mr Baldy after shaving the heads of six boys he assaulted in 1979 and 1980, was due for release on Monday. Two of Mr Baldy's victims, their mother and sister yesterday took out interim intervention orders against Jones in light of his imminent release. His release has been suspended. A spokeswoman for Corrections Commissioner Kelvin Anderson confirmed yesterday that accommodation earmarked for Jones was found to be unsuitable after an "environment scan" of the area this week, and that he would not be released on Monday. "Parole in this case is contingent on a suitable parole plan – clearly accommodation plays a vital role in that," the spokeswoman said. "What it does show is the environment scans work. "They had a place in mind, had a look around and found the proposed accommodation was unsuitable. So it's worked." It is believed the proposed accommodation was next to a family with two young boys, but the spokeswoman would not confirm whether there were two children living next to the property. People Against Lenient Sentencing president Steve Medcraft said it was frightening to think that Jones could have been housed near children. "It's like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank," Mr Medcraft said. "The whole thing is a balls-up. The whole thing is a complete mess. I'm staggered they were going to take steps to house him next to two kids. "There is no way known you are going to fix a child molester. "Rehabilitation is never going to work." Mr Anderson's spokeswoman denied the incident was a bungle. "That's what the environment scan process is for – to check the surrounds of any potential accommodation. So we don't see it as a stuff-up at all, we see it as the opposite – the system working." The spokeswoman said parole, and release on parole, was a matter for the Adult Parole Board, which could not be contacted last night. It is believed no new parole date has been set. The mother of two of Jones's victims said last night that her son's Disability Support Services worker had received a letter from the Adult Parole Board listing the release date as March 21. The fearful woman, her sons and daughter took out an interim intervention order in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday. It will last until April 6. Jones, formerly known as Brendon Megson, pleaded guilty to 18 offences involving the six boys he abducted, and was sentenced to 14 years with a minimum of 12 years. He was released in 1989 after serving eight years and immediately began sexually assaulting two young brothers. The revelation in October that Jones was going to be released from jail six months before his maximum 14-year sentence expired in August this year caused a storm of controversy. The 57-year-old serial sex offender will be subjected to some of the strictest parole conditions ever imposed when he is eventually released. Herald Sun (19-3-2005) Shelley Hodgson |
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LEGISLATION to allow for electronic tagging of repeat sex offenders is guaranteed a smooth run through Parliament after approval from Cabinet and the Opposition. Corrections Minister Tim Holding yesterday said concerns about violations of civil liberties were overridden by the unusually high rate of reoffending by sex offenders and the catastrophic effect their crimes had on their victims. As revealed in the Herald Sun yesterday, laws to monitor serious sexual offenders are to be rushed through Parliament. Notorious repeat child-sex offender Brian "Mr Baldy" Jones is expected to be one of the first candidates to be assessed for what will be known as an extended supervision order. This could involve Jones having his movements restricted by being under house arrest or wearing electronic bracelets to track his movements. Jones, 58, will be paroled in early March and will complete his second sentence for sex offences in August. Mr Holding yesterday said the laws would be based on New Zealand legislation, where prison authorities can recommend to the court where the prisoner was sentenced for the prisoner to have restrictions when they are freed. Mr Holding said a body such as the Adult Parole Board would then have the responsibility of imposing appropriate monitoring arrangements the prisoner should have. Civil libertarians yesterday raised concerns about the proposed laws but Mr Holding said they would only be used in extreme circumstances. Liberty Victoria spokesman Greg Connellan said forcing a prisoner to wear a bracelet for life was "an extreme step". Opposition Leader Robert Doyle said the Bill, expected to be introduced within the first half of this year, would have the support of the Liberal Party. Crime Victims Support Association president Noel McNamara said the measures were overdue. "A Mongolian trotting duck could have seen that (the State Government) needed to do something like this," he said. Jones became known as Mr Baldy after he abducted six boys and shaved their heads before abusing them in 1979-80. On his release from jail in the early 1990s, Jones re-offended within weeks and was jailed for a maximum of 14 years Herald Sun (1-2-2005) Jeremy Kelly |
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NOTORIOUS pedophile Brian "Mr Baldy" Jones is to be electronically
tagged for life and placed under house arrest when his 14-year jail
term ends.
In a dramatic intervention, the Victoria Government is planning to rush new laws through Parliament aimed at protecting children from the sex predator, scheduled to be released within weeks. The "Mr Baldy Bill" would arm authorities with the power to have serial sex offenders such as Jones monitored with electronic bracelets after completing their prison sentences. The Herald Sun has learned the Government is looking at matching New Zealand laws that allow authorities to effectively extend prisoners' parole indefinitely after they are released. Jones, 58, who re-offended within three weeks of his last release from jail, will be let out of Ararat prison in early March, subject to strict parole conditions. But those parole conditions expire on August 2 and, apart from being listed on the sex offenders' register, he will be a free man. Under NZ laws passed last year, high-risk offenders can be subject to 12 months of home detention after finishing their whole jail term. They can then be made to continue wearing the bracelets so their movements can be tracked. The laws also allow for parole conditions – such as reporting to police and restrictions on approaching children – to be extended for up to 10 years at a time after their release. In New Zealand, the decision to impose an extended supervision order is made by the court that sentenced the prisoner after an application by the Department of Corrections. Corrections Minister Tim Holding confirmed the Government was considering introducing similar laws for Victoria. Mr Holding's spokesman, Toby Hemming, said the Government would also consider what safeguards should be attached to the laws to ensure that they are applied only in exceptional circumstances. "Since (Jones) was sentenced, serious sexual offenders legislation has been introduced in Victoria, which allows for the indefinite detention of offenders," Mr Hemming said. He said the sex offenders' register, introduced by the Bracks Government, overlapped parts of New Zealand's Parole (Extended Supervision) Amendment Act 2004. People on the register are banned from working with children and have to tell police their address, employment and motor vehicle details, memberships of clubs and affiliations, and travel plans. Jones was nicknamed Mr Baldy after abducting six children and shaving their heads before sexually abusing them in 1979 and 1980. The parole board's decision to give Jones early release will give him his first taste of freedom since the early 1990s. He has been eligible for parole since August 2003, but several factors have prevented his release. "The main sticking point has been finding suitable accommodation for him, but that's not the only reason," a prison source said. The parole board is believed to have made Jones complete an intensive sex-offender treatment program and take an anti-androgen drug, which lowers male sex hormones. Jones will face strict conditions on his release including frequent reporting to police, random checks on his activities, and restrictions on his address and associates. Jones is serving a maximum 14-year sentence for the aggravated rape of a nine-year-old boy and for sexual assaults on the boy's younger brother, who was six. Before those offences, when he was known as Brendon John Megson, he abducted six boys between four and seven. Herald Sun (31-1-2005) Jeremy Kelly |
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Serious sex offenders typically needed more than six months on parole supervision before re-entering society after a long prison term, a senior forensic psychologist said yesterday. Commenting on the possible release early next year of notorious pedophile Brian Keith Jones, known as Mr Baldy, six months before his sentence expires. Professor Jim Ogloff said 12 months' close supervision was more appropriate. "(He is) 57 years old. His offending would be quite entrenched. It could be that he has received treatment and done very well, but usually we would be looking at a minimum of nine to 12 months," said Professor Ogloff, director of psychological services at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Menial Health. Jones' sentence ends next August. His case will be considered by the Parole Board next month. Release would not be ordered before February 2005, Parole Board secretary Norman Wills said. If Jones was granted parole it would be with conditions about where he lived, treatment programs and a curfew, Mr Wills said. "In particular, the program requirements will be a continuation of programs Mr Jones has already undertaken in prison," he said. Professor Ogloff said a long period of community supervision was needed while offenders learn to apply the skills acquired in prison programs designed to prevent their re-offending. The programs tried to make offenders understand the emotional, mental and physical factors that led to their offending. "There's no quick fix. You need a concentrated program over a period of time, especially with someone with an extended history," Professor Ogloff said. Jones, also known as Brendan John Megson, was dubbed Mr Baldy for his practice of kidnapping young boys, shaving their heads, dressing them in girls' clothing and molesting them. He was jailed in 1981 on 18 charges of child stealing' and indecent assault. Released after eight years, he was convicted again in 1992, of the sexual penetration of a child and sentenced to 12 years and four months' jail. Mr Wills said the Parole Board believed it was better to release prisoners before their full term expired in order to impose conditions on their integration into the community. Otherwise, offenders would be able to resume their lives without supervision. The manager of Corrections Victoria's sex offender program. Karen Owen, would not discuss Jones specifically, but she said that such offenders typically completed a minimum eight- month treatment program before being granted parole. "It's safe to say they don't get parole unless they undertake treatment," Ms Owen said. Acting Premier John Thwaites said the community would be safer if Jones was released early because he could be properly monitored. Jones would be kept on the state's sex offender register. His address and work details would be lodged with police, he said. Opposition Leader Robert Doyle said the Parole Board should be able to impose conditions on offenders after their sentences expired. AAP (21-10-2004) Ian Munro/ Jewel Topsfield |
New Watch On Our Worst Sex Offenders (1-8-2005)
Baldy Victim Fears Release (25-10-2004)
Arresting Cop Fears Repeat (21-10-2004)
Victim Groups Push To Curb Predator (21-10-2004)
Notorious Paedophile To Be Released (20-10-2004)
Mr Baldy to Go Free (20-10-2004)
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Scum – But Sadistic Hunt Not Right Either IF Victorian serial child sex offender Brian Keith Jones had been jailed in South Australia, the State Government would have kept him behind bars until he died. The hard line on law and order has become this Government's trademark. It will be remembered, more than anything, for overturning parole orders, challenging sentences and thumbing its nose at the conventions of the legal system. At times, the Government has stepped perilously close to breaching the traditional separation of powers between elected government and the judiciary. But Premier Mike Rann can read opinion polls as well as anyone. This apparently tough law-and-order stance is publicly, and therefore politically, popular. Brian Jones should be in prison. To say Jones is a rat is an insult to rodents. He is one of the most despicable people in Australia. Jones does not deserve liberty, yet the Victorian legal system has released him from prison. This is quite different from granting Jones his freedom. He is destined to be hounded to his grave by a remorseless and resentful public. A brief reminder. Jones, also known as Brian John Megson, was nicknamed Mr Baldy after he abducted six boys, shaved their heads, dressed them in girls' clothes and sexually assaulted them. In 1981, he was given 32 years in jail which meant he could be held until 2013. But in 1989, he was paroled – and, three weeks later, he raped a nine-year-old boy and sexually abused the boy's younger brother. For that, he received a 14-year sentence which expires in August. The Victorian Labor Government released him on parole last month. Since then, his whereabouts have twice been exposed by concerned members of the public. It is my guess that in SA the Government would have opposed Jones's parole. It would have legislated to keep Jones behind bars indefinitely – laws in force in Queensland and which the Victorian Government refused to implement. So Jones is out of prison under strict parole conditions. Unless he offends again, from August 21 when his 14-year sentence officially ends, he is a free man. Under law, that should be the end of it. But Jones cannot find peace. He is being hounded by an alert and unforgiving public. People carrying placards paraded in the streets when he was recognised in his first "safe house" last week. On Monday, an anonymous caller rang a radio station pinpointing his new home. In the community feeding chain, Jones is lower than a rat. He is scum. None of us can be sure he will not repeat his evil and destructive crimes of child abuse. But, according to the law, he has paid his debt. Is it right that he is now the target of this mindless, public game, Where's Mr Baldy? Is it right that he is being harried and driven from his home? Are the people denying the weakest runt in the litter shelter and comfort by stooping to his disgraceful level? The case of this sick and twisted man highlights the dangers of SA joining the national pedophile register. More than any crime outside police or child murder, pedophilia stirs the sticky black sediment at the base of human emotions. Sane and compassionate people lose judgment and reason. We are right to be looking at a pedophile register. But the information it contains must be sensitively, cautiously and responsibly handled. The Where's Mr Baldy campaign may be an amusing, if sadistic pastime for the Victorians involved. But it exposes the worst elements of human behaviour. Adelaide Advertiser (20-7-2005) Rex Jory joryr@adv.newsltd.com.au |
VICTIMS of the Mr Baldy pedophile ring fear the group will
reunite and reoffend now the four members are out of jail.
Ringleader Gordon Taylor, 46, his wife, Deborah, 44, and their former housemate, Robert Henderson, 63, have been joined back in the community by Mr Baldy, Brian Keith Jones. The four -- three of whom teamed up in prison -- inflicted sexual abuse on six children between 1988 and 1991. The mother of two victims said: "I've always said God help Victoria when they're all out." A victim said: "They're sick and they shouldn't be out." The revelation came as an exclusive Sunday Herald Sun survey found most Australians wanted the names and addresses of serial child-sex offenders made public. Jones -- named Mr Baldy because he shaved the heads of six children he abducted and sexually abused -- was jailed in 1981 for 32 years. He reoffended within weeks of his release on parole in 1989. Jones -- formerly Brendon John Megson -- was jailed again in 1992 for 14 years over attacks on children under 10. He was released on parole from Ararat prison on July 13. In 2003, Gordon Taylor was released on parole -- despite being sentenced to 23 years for pleading guilty to 88 child-sex offences. Taylor, who is still on parole, was identified as the head of the pedophile ring and described by the sentencing judge as a "depraved and wicked man" who engaged in "grossly sexually deviant" offences. Henderson's non-parole period expired in 2001. He was dealt a 12-year term after pleading guilty to 61 offences. Deborah Taylor was sentenced to three years' jail, with a minimum of two, for her role in the sex racket- she held down a child while he was raped. Gordon Taylor, Henderson and Jones met in Sale prison, where they were serving time for sex offences in the early 1980s. They fantasised about building a prison farm where they would molest the attractive children and use the others as slaves. Within weeks of his release from Sale prison in 1989, Mr Baldy began reoffending with help from his accomplices. Deborah Taylor had taken some victims-to-be to visit him in jail in the 1980s. Forensic psychologist Ian Joblin said pedophiles often sought strength in numbers. "They support each other. It legitimises their behaviour -- they think if there are two of us or more it must be all right," he said. He said history showed there was a risk the group might re-offend. The Sunday Herald Sun poll, conducted by Ipsos, found 76 per cent of women and 66 per cent of men believed they should be made aware of pedophiles living in the community. Support for the move -- 75 per cent -- was strongest among people aged 18 to 24. It was lowest -- 66 per cent -- among people aged 45 and 54. "The assumption underlying this result is that the public has low confidence in the ability to rehabilitate child-sex offenders through the criminal justice system," Ipsos general manager Randall Pearce said. Police Minister Tim Holding highlighted a range of measures, including extended supervision orders and the Sex Offenders Register, in a bid to appease public anxieties over repeat sex offenders. "The public can be reassured that every precaution is being taken to protect the community against these people," he said. He also said the Victim's Register allowed victims to find out about the offender's parole status. But the mother of one victim said that was not enough. Victims needed addresses, she said. "It's ridiculous. They know where we are because we have restraining orders, but we can't know where they are," she said. "This is an absolute outrage. Victims have no rights -- we don't even know where they are." Corrections Commissioner Kelvin Anderson said Jones was banned from interacting with other pedophiles and children under his parole conditions. "Under those conditions, he is banned from associating with his co-offenders or having any contact with any other convicted sex offender," he said. AAP (24-7-2005) Carly Crawford |
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