A person as soon as described as WA’s worst serial intercourse predator is simply weeks away from being launched from jail as attorneys for the state proceed to push for him to be strictly monitored as a high-risk offender as quickly as he will get out.
Dennis John McKenna, 81, was convicted of the systemic abuse of virtually 30 boys at St Andrew’s Hostel in Katanning, the place he labored between 1957 and 1990, together with as warden from 1976.
He’s serving his second jail time period for molesting college students, a sentence which ends on November 17.
Previously 12 months, a number of court docket hearings have been held to find out whether or not McKenna needs to be deemed a Excessive Threat Critical Offender which is able to make his upcoming launch from jail much less about his freedom and extra about making certain the safety of the group if he reoffends.
On Friday, the Supreme Court docket of WA heard from the sufferer engagement unit that had spoken to 26 of McKenna’s 29 abuse victims about exclusion zones that can prohibit the 81-year-old from going anyplace close to the place they dwell.
Prosecutor Brett Tooker additionally advised justice Marcus Solomon that it was crucial that McKenna be deemed to be a high-risk offender as a result of he was “in danger” of “committing an offence in opposition to a male youngster”.
The convicted predator has been assessed by two psychiatrists who submitted experiences to the court docket stating McKenna was susceptible to particular reoffending together with indecent dealing of a kid over the age of 13 and below 16, sexual penetration of a kid over the age of 13 and below 16, and chronic sexual conduct with a baby.
“These are the offences that we primarily determine he’s susceptible to committing sooner or later due to his historical past,” Tooker mentioned.
“Indecent dealing is the most definitely.”
The court docket heard McKenna hoped to have interaction with volunteer work upon his launch and presumably be a part of a church, however Tooker mentioned that will put him into direct contact with kids.
And not using a Excessive Threat Critical Offender order being made, McKenna would don’t have any obligation to reveal his previous, the court docket was advised.
“Most of these actions may give him entry to kids and from the state’s perspective, we can not enable that to occur,” Tooker mentioned.
“If no order is put in place [then] he’ll encounter teams of people that won’t know what he has achieved. They are going to be oblivious to who he’s. He will probably be uncovered to alternatives … he’ll be capable to create alternatives.
“There will probably be a big a part of the group who won’t know who he’s or what he has achieved and gained’t be capable to shield themselves. That is one motive why we are saying a declaration have to be made.”
The court docket was additionally advised that McKenna, who was described by psychiatrists as “charming, charismatic and cognitively sharp” nonetheless maintained that a few of his victims – who ranged in age from 13 to 17 years previous – initiated the sexual contact.
Tooker mentioned he engaged in “excessive minimisation of sexual violence”, together with denial of a few of the abuse and he “displays beliefs about mutuality that each events needed to have interaction within the behaviour”.
McKenna additionally has “distorted views about consent involving kids”, in accordance with Tooker.
“‘People with vital entrenched cognitive distortions usually tend to reoffend’,” the prosecutor mentioned, quoting one of many psychiatrists who assessed him.
Added dangers to his possibilities of reoffending embody that he has been lower off by his household and has no shut mates or assist community.
“When an individual lacks social connections they’ll take the unsuitable path and have interaction in offending,” Tooker mentioned.
“All of this stuff come collectively to lift alarm bells for the state.”
Justice Solomon will ship his choice on November 4.