A notorious pedophile who has repeatedly re-offended in Perth after spending years in a Thai prison has secured his release from prison under more than 60 strict conditions, including electronic monitoring of his movements.
key points:
- Dragon was jailed in WA for sex and other crimes
- He will be released in June with strict conditions
- He agreed to undergo anti-libido treatment
bradley penn dragon, 62, He has spent half his life behind bars, including a 13-year sentence in Thailand for sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
He was exiled to New South Wales, but taken to Perth, where he has committed more crimes.
They include a woman holding a knife as she tried to keep her child in her car, for which she received a five-year prison sentence.
Dragon sent back to prison after committing crimes again
Two days after being released from prison for that crime, he went to a backpacker hostel in Northbridge and looked at child abuse material on a computer.
It was the fourth time he had been convicted of that crime in Western Australia.
He served 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 Streck made the announcement but ruled that any risk of re-attack by dragons can be adequately managed by a 10-year supervision order with 62 conditions.
They include that Dragon is monitored electronically, that he lives at a designated address, is subject to a curfew and provides an oral or written account of all his proposed movements to his community corrections officer.
She is also prohibited from having contact with any child under the age of 18, unless approved, and is also required to undergo psychological and anti-libidinal treatment.
During the hearing to determine Dragon’s status, the court heard that while he was initially opposed to anti-libido treatment, Dragon indicated that he believed it was a good idea.
He also stated that he was prepared to undergo physical castration, although a psychiatrist testified that there was nowhere in Western Australia or Australia where such treatment was offered.
Opposition demands ‘appropriate punishment’
Opposition spokesman Steve Thomas said the decision was “absolutely worrying”.
“I think we have evolved into a phase where we are quite soft on law and order issues these days, and it is time to focus more on holding people accountable for their behaviour,” he said.
“I fully believe that going back to tougher on the approach to crime and making the punishment worthy of the crime is where we want this government and this society to go.”
Mr Thomas said he was confident the government could do more.
“Ultimately, courts will make those decisions, but there are things governments can do to strengthen that they expect appropriate punishment and appropriate responsibility,” he said.
“And I think this government has to work in that area.”
Dragon is expected to be released from prison in the middle of next month.
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