I have instructed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to lodge an appeal against a sentence handed down in Toowoomba District Court.
On August 28, Joseph Lee Smith was convicted of more than 100 child sexual offences, occurring over a period of 18 months, including making child exploitation material and intercourse with a child under the age of 16.
The court imposed an overall sentence of eight-and-a-half years imprisonment with immediate parole eligibility.
I consider the sentence handed down to be manifestly inadequate, and in my view, does not meet community expectations.
My thoughts are with the victims, some of whom were just nine to 13 years old at the time of the offending, and I acknowledge the profound and lasting impact these crimes have had on them and their families.
Child sexual offences are despicable crimes, and the Crisafulli Government is committed to ensuring offenders are met with serious consequences and victims are put first.
A Notice of Appeal has been lodged with the Court of Appeal registry on my behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
