Notorious child rapist Douglas Jackway to be set free

Jackway was a suspect in Daniel Morcombe’s murder after the 13-year-old was abducted from the Sunshine Coast in 2003. Brett Peter Cowen was eventually found guilty of the boy’s murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2014.

In 1991, a 14-year-old Jackway raped a young girl and he also performed sexual acts against a boy in 1995 when he was 18.

While under the influence of alcohol and drugs, Jackway took a boy into mangroves before stripping, assaulting, threatening the boy and performing sexual acts, including anal rape, in 1995.

He was caught in the act by police and was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment and was not released until 2003.

Jackway returned to prison in January 2004 for stealing a vehicle, and was at the same time dealt with for the 1991 rape of a young girl.

In 2005, he received a seven-year sentence.

Psychiatrists, including Andrew Aboud and Eve Timmins, believed Jackway had antisocial and psychopathic traits and a mixed personality disorder.

The psychiatrists have since deemed him a “moderate or below moderate” risk in reoffending if released on a supervision order after showing sings of improvement and seeking professional help.

Despite an incident in May this year where Jackway slapped a prisoner, he told psychiatrists he was free of drug abuse and has discussed his anxiety with psychiatrists.

Justice Sue Brown said Jackway had shown significant progress.

“[He] has demonstrated that he has reached a level of maturation and learnt methods of controlling his impulsive behaviour, emotions and anger to a level where the court is satisfied he is likely to comply with the conditions of a supervision order,” he said.

“I find that the proposed supervision order will be efficacious in containing Mr Jackway’s risks of sexual reoffending to an acceptable level and ensuring the adequate protection of the community.”

Justice Brown said the length of the 15-year supervision order would help Jackway, who has spent most of life in prison to “reach a point where he is an acceptable risk without a supervision order”.