Police Minister washes hands of sex offender responsibility

Hendrikus Joseph Ruhland’s release from jail yesterday despite being a high risk to prey on boys for the rest of his life underlined Bligh Labor’s pathetic approach to dangerous sex offenders.

LNP police and corrective services spokesman Vaughan Johnson said the attempt by Police Minister Neil Roberts to blame the courts was pathetic.

“Expert psychiatric evidence says Ruhland will carry his sexual attraction to boys for the rest of his life …and the best the Minister can do is say …not my fault …it’s the courts,” Mr Johnson said.

“It’s incredible Mr Roberts claims Queensland has the toughest regime against dangerous sexual offenders in Australia …but then washes his hands when a dangerous paedophile, who preys on boys, is released even though expert assessment says he is a high risk of re-offending.

“The Police Minister continues to ignore the fact that one-in-three sex offenders breach their sentence provisions while under surveillance.”

Mr Johnson said the facts were irrefutable. Of the 54 sex offenders subjected to this regime, 17 had breached the terms of their sentence.

“Why does Minister Roberts continue to support a program that releases offenders before they are able to prove their readiness for release?”