Australian tribunal reinstates visa for UK child sex offender despite convictions
Consensus Summary
An elderly UK man convicted in 2024 of sexually abusing his nine-year-old step-granddaughter in Western Australia had his visa reinstated by Australia’s Administrative Review Tribunal in September 2025. The tribunal cited his advanced age, serious health conditions, and decades-long family ties to Australia as reasons to overturn the automatic visa cancellation under the Migration Act. Both sources confirm the offender served a 14-month prison sentence and was acquitted of related charges against another child. The victim’s trauma, including depression and inability to finish high school, was highlighted in court statements. Critics, including Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonathon Duniam, argue the tribunal’s decision undermines community safety, while the government is now reviewing the case for potential deportation. The offender remains on Australia’s National Child Offender Register and was banned from attending children’s events after being identified at a Gymnastics Australia gathering.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- A UK man in his 80s was sentenced to 14 months in prison in Western Australia’s Perth District Court in February 2024 for aggravated indecent dealing with a nine-year-old step-granddaughter.
- The man’s permanent resident visa was automatically revoked under Australia’s Migration Act due to his child sexual offence conviction.
- The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) reinstated his visa in September 2025, citing his advanced age, serious health conditions, and strong family ties to Australia.
- The man was also previously charged and acquitted of separate offences against the stepson of his stepson, who was under 13 at the time.
- The victim’s impact statement described ongoing trauma, including anxiety, depression, and inability to complete high school due to the assault.
- The man is registered on the Australian National Child Offender Register, as confirmed by WA Attorney General Tony Buti.
- Ministerial Direction 110 (introduced in 2024) prioritizes community protection in visa cancellation decisions, but the tribunal ruled that his ties to Australia outweighed reoffending risks.
- The Department of Home Affairs is preparing a brief for an assistant minister to reconsider visa cancellation under Minister Tony Burke’s authority.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The tribunal’s deputy president, Simone Burford, explicitly stated the decision was 'not an easy one' and acknowledged community expectations for deportation.
- The victim’s family was not notified of the offender’s release from immigration detention because he was no longer under WA Corrective Services supervision.
- The offender claims not to remember the incident but accepted the court’s findings and expressed remorse.
- The man was banned from Gymnastics Australia after a public report identified him at an event with children, though the organization was unaware of his status at the time.
- The man was seen at a Gymnastics Australia event attended by young girls, leading to a 'notice of prohibition' after a public tip-off.
- Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonathon Duniam called for the offender’s deportation, stating Direction 110 is 'not fit for purpose' in child sex offence cases.
- The Prisoners Review Board of WA decided against a Post Sentence Supervision Order for the offender upon his release from prison in 2025.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states the offender was 'in his 80s,' while the ABC does not specify an exact age but refers to him as 'in his 80s' without additional context—no direct contradiction, but the ABC does not elaborate on health specifics beyond the Guardian’s detailed medical conditions.
- The Guardian notes the offender was remorseful and claimed not to remember the incident, while the ABC does not mention his remorse or memory claims.
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