A notorious paedophile who repeatedly reoffended in Perth after spending years in a Thai jail has won his release from jail subject to more than 60 strict conditions, including that his movements be electronically monitored.
Bradley Pen Dragon, 62, has spent half of his life behind bars, including serving a 13-year term in Thailand for sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
He was deported to New South Wales but moved to Perth, where has committed further offences.
They include holding a knife to a woman as she tried to put her child in her car, for which he received a five-year jail term.
Dragon sent back to jail after reoffending
Two days after he was released from prison for that offence, he went to a backpacker hostel in Northbridge and looked up child exploitation material on a computer.
It was the fourth time he had been convicted of that offence in Western Australia.
He completed serving all his sentences in December 2021, but was kept in custody while the Supreme Court determined whether he should be declared a 'high risk and serious offender'.
Today Justice Larissa Strk made that declaration but ruled that any risk of reoffending by Dragon could be adequately managed by a 10-year supervision order, with 62 conditions.
They include that Dragon be monitored electronically, that he lives at a specified address, is subject to a curfew and provides a verbal or written account of all his proposed movements to his community corrections officer.
He is also banned from having contact with any child under the age of 18 unless it is approved, and is also required to undergo psychological and anti-libidinal treatment.
During the hearing to determine Dragon's status, the court heard while he was initially opposed to the anti-libidinal treatment, Dragon had indicated he believed it was a good idea.
He had also said he was willing to undergo physical castration, even though a psychiatrist testified there appeared to be nowhere in Western Australia or Australia where such treatment was offered.
Opposition calls for 'suitable punishment'
Opposition spokesman Steve Thomas said the decision was "absolutely worrying".
"I think we've developed to a stage where we're quite soft on law and order issues these days, and it's time for a far bigger focus on holding people responsible for their behaviour," he said.
"I absolutely believe that a tougher on crime approach and going back to making the punishment fit the crime is where we want to see this government and this society go."
Mr Thomas said he believed the government could do more.
"Ultimately, the courts will make those decisions, but there are things that governments can do to reinforce that they expect suitable punishments and suitable responsibility," he said.
"And I think that this government has work to do in that area."
Dragon is likely to be released from prison mid-next month.
