Serial child sexual offender to remain behind bars

Rex Martinich | May 15, 2023

A Queensland man who sexually assaulted seven boys will remain in prison after the Supreme Court upheld a prior ruling that he was a “serious danger to the community”.

Following a hearing last week, Justice Susan Brown ruled on Monday that Shannon Robert Dunrobin will be held in detention indefinitely under the Dangerous Offenders (Sexual Offenders) Act.

“I am satisfied that the evidence supports the finding that (Dunrobin) is a serious danger to the community … I accept that the respondent’s unmodified risk of serious sexual offending remains in the ‘high’ or ‘well above average’ range,” Justice Brown said.

Dunrobin, from Bundaberg, has been in continuous custody since 2014 after he was convicted of raping a 17-year-old boy and was earlier convicted of the indecent treatment of two 14-year-old boys in 2011.

Dunrobin was also convicted in 2001 of sexual offences against four boys aged between nine and 12.

The Supreme Court granted an application in 2019 to hold Dunrobin in detention indefinitely and the decision was reviewed in 2020 by Justice Soraya Ryan.

“(Dunrobin) still has poor insight and has not undertaken a group sexual offenders’ treatment program,” Justice Ryan said in 2020.

“His longitudinal criminal history reveals the risk that he would re-offend in a sexual way upon release even though he has spent a long time in custody. The evidence persuasively establishes that he could not safely be released at this point in time.”

Another Supreme Court review last year rejected the option of releasing Dunrobin under supervision.

“I am assisted by the evidence of each of the two psychiatrists that the risk, even with speculated conditions of a supervision order, would remain in the moderate or moderate to high range,” Justice Thomas Bradley stated last year.

During last month’s hearing, Dunrobin’s defence unsuccessfully challenged the evidence from multiple psychiatrists that he was likely upon release to attempt to groom boys aged seven to 15 by using threats, inducements or by incapacitating them with drugs.

Justice Brown stated Dunrobin had shown some “positive signs” in his rehabilitation but needed to complete the High Intensity Sex Offender Program and possibly be subject to chemical castration before being considered for release.

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

Lifeline 13 11 14

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)