Robert John Fardon arrested in Brisbane over alleged breach of supervision order
Convicted rapist Robert John Fardon has been arrested in Brisbane over an alleged breach of the conditions of a supervision order.
The 65-year-old has been living in community detention at Wacol in south-west Brisbane since being released in December last year.
A source has told the ABC Fardon was planning to escape his home, which is under 24-hour surveillance.
He was taken into police custody this afternoon and the matter will be listed for an initial hearing in the Supreme Court as early as tomorrow.
Fardon has spent most of his adult life in prison after he was convicted of numerous sex offences against women and children.
In 2003, Fardon was the first person to be detained indefinitely under Queensland’s Dangerous Prisoners Sexual Offenders Act.
In December 2013, Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie withdrew an application to keep Fardon in prison.
The decision came after the Court of Appeal declared sections of a new act, granting the Attorney-General power over sex offenders, was invalid.
Following Fardon's arrest Mr Bleijie said in a statement it would be inappropriate to comment on specific matters before the court.
"We made a promise to Queenslanders that we would make this state the safest place to raise a family and we will always fight to keep dangerous offenders away from the community," he said.
"Queensland now has the strongest anti-sex offender legislation in Australia following extensive reforms by the Government and the state’s dangerous sex offender laws are also currently under review."
Fardon's supervision order was issued under the provisions of the Dangerous Prisoner (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003.
