A member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) forensic unit inspects a garage at a house that was involved in pre-dawn raids in the western Sydney suburb of Guilford
IN PHOTO: A member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) forensic unit inspects a garage at a house that was involved in pre-dawn raids in the western Sydney suburb of Guilford September 18, 2014. REUTERS/David Gray

The arrival of a child molester in New Zealand after he was released in Australia has become a cause of concern for the victim’s family. The 67-year-old man is being deported back to New Zealand after he was released on parole.

The man, whose identity is kept anonymous, was found guilty for molesting his 10-year-old granddaughter in Australia. He was sentenced to three charges of indecently dealing with the child.

ONE News reports that the judge handling the case believed the man behaved that way for many years. One of the relatives of the victim said the man may become a risk to the community if he is sent back. “We’re not coping very well. (The incident) destroyed our whole family,” said the unnamed relative.

According to the child’s family, they were told the man would be staying in North Canterbury. The family is worried that the man will not have formal supervision. The relative of the victim warned of the risk of re-offending, said the parents in New Zealand should know about the man.

Greg Newbold, a criminologist at Canterbury University, said the parole conditions would not be imposed on the man when he arrives in New Zealand. Under New Zealand law, a citizen who commits a crime overseas will have no record of the offence upon returning to the country. Newbold explained that parole officers and justice authorities from other countries do not have jurisdiction in New Zealand.

New Zealand police and corrections have confirmed the deportation of the offender in the country. Justice Minister Amy Adams said Australian police usually inform their counterparts in New Zealand about convicts being sent back to the country. She added that the government has been working on a scheme to share information.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey Dobbs, dubbed as Australia’s worst paedophile, will soon be eligible for parole after a judge put an end to his indefinite sentence. Dobbs has molested 62 young girls for over three decades, reports Courier Mail.

Judge Kerry O’Brien, chief judge of the district court decided that Dobbs is no longer a danger to the community. A spokesman for Australia’s Justice Department said he still remains in prison with a sentence of life imprisonment.

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