‘I swear to God he will do it’: Relative of serial rapist says he will strike again
The Queensland government is seeking urgent legal advice to keep one of the state’s worst sex offenders under strict supervision.
With Robert John Fardon due to be released on October 3, one of his relatives has told 7 News the notorious predator is almost certain to strike again.
Stephen Cohen spent his childhood alongside the serial rapist and believes it would be “open season on women and children” if Fardon gets out.
Mr Cohen claims he was one of Fardon’s young victims but was too scared to speak out at the time.
“Fear of what would happen – I mean, one of the things he said to me [was]: ‘You’ll never be able to come back to bloody Pop’s anymore’,” Mr Cohen told 7 News.
His greatest fear now is Fardon assaulting others.
“I swear to God he will do it, let’s hope they stop him, there’s nothing more I can say,” Mr Cohen said.
Fardon has spent most of his adult life behind bars.
He molested a girl under the age of 10 in 1967, raped 12-year-old Sharon Tomlinson at gunpoint in 1978, and raped an adult woman 10 years later.
In 2010, Fardon was again convicted of rape, but that was overturned on appeal.
The courts have decided the 69-year-old is at low risk of re-offending, but there has been a rare agreement between politicians that he should remain under supervision.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said the government is “seeking urgent legal advice” to see whether there will be an appeal.
“I always found a reason to forgive,” Mr Cohen said.
“But no longer. There’s no forgiveness left in me for him.”
