Trust is a hard thing earn and give and that’s just a thing one woman could not give to her sister’s new beau who was, in her suspicion, a little different, weird if you will.
She went home to google her hometown; what she found chilled her blood and confirmed her suspicion. A photo appeared on the screen, a photo of a convicted killer along with details of his horrendous acts. She was, needless to say, shrouded in fear.
One of the country’s most sadistic killers had been released from prison after serving 20 years for violently bashing in the head of a former girlfriend’s son, in front of the other children.
This man was going by a different name now, but the image depicted the very same man her sister was dating; there was no mistaking it. Another detail unknown to her sister, the man was on the child protection register.
Upon the truth of the matter, a family representative revealed that they “still felt betrayed by the system”. Lawyers at Firth, McAlpine and Scott said this about ex-convicts ability changing their names:
“The family was amazed that someone could change their name and just blend back into the community like he had.”
An investigation revealed that the man changed his name while behind bars by deed poll before 2008 when the law changed. Since then no one is allowed to change their names while on the child protection register unless they appeal to Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione. It’s not said how many have applied for a name change, but police reveal that a total of 5 changes have been permitted. A police spokesperson was quoted saying:
“These matters related to applications where the name change was to the name the person has been known by all of their life and under the name for which they were arrested and charged. However, their birth certificate records the name of their biological father.”
Surprisingly while the police had knowledge of the man’s new identity, they failed to inform the public as well as the family.
Upon release from prison the man moved to a halfway house, eventually he met his new girlfriend; gaining her trust, not revealing his dark secret; ashamed or not. She gave him a job and he soon integrated himself into their lives, eventually being introduced to the woman’s children.
After a return from vacation, the sister of the woman revealed everything to the police and now the man faces up to 5 years in jail for violating the Child Protection Offenders Registration Act for allegedly being within the presence of minors for the consecutive period of 14 days or more and not reporting his actions.