State Government seeking to block career criminal, repeat prison escapee and sexual deviant Jason Scott Moyle’s release from jail

He has spent all but three of the past 31 years behind bars, but this violent career criminal and escapee’s release is being blocked by the State Government.

A career criminal, prison escapee and sexual deviant’s 30-year jail stint must be extended because he has refused to undertake domestic violence counselling, a court has heard.

But Jason Scott Moyle, who offended just three days after he was last released, has told the Supreme Court he is prepared to do the course – so long as he is released first.

On Wednesday, the court heard Attorney-General Vickie Chapman had renewed her bid to have Moyle’s detention extended indefinitely.

Stacey Carter, for Moyle, said her client was not prepared to consent to Ms Chapman’s demands.

“The Crown would like him to complete a domestic violence course … the issue for my client is that he asked to do the course, voluntarily, once he was back in the community,” she said.

“The Crown then moved him from the Adelaide Remand Centre to Mobilong Prison and asked if he’d consent to the detention order – the answer is no.”

Moyle, 51, has spent all but three of the past 31 years in prison for offences ranging from theft, drugs and violence to arson, home invasion and indecent assault.

During those three decades, he successfully escaped from jail three times – in 1996, 1998 and 1999 – and lived as a fugitive before being apprehended.

Jason Scott Moyle has spent all but three of the past 31 years in prison. Picture: SA Police.

Moyle has escaped from prison three times. Picture: SA Police.

In 2018, as Moyle’s parole drew near, Ms Chapman urged the court to order he be detained indefinitely as an uncontrollable sexual predator.

At the time, the court heard he had been caught exposing himself to, and masturbating in front of, women on more than 20 occasions, often while affected by drugs.

Moyle had told a psychiatrist his crimes were not sex offences “because I didn’t hurt or rape anyone”, and that “pedophiles are let out and I’m not even a sex offender”.

However, the court rejected Ms Chapman’s application, expressing confidence that “appropriate means” could be employed to monitor him.

Three days later, Moyle was arrested for failing a drug test and placed under supervision for five years, without a new release date being set.

On Wednesday, Ms Carter said it was appropriate to release Moyle from custody and continue both his supervision and rehabilitation in the community.

She asked the matter be set down for argument and Crown solicitors agreed, saying four hours would be required.

When asked, by Justice David Peek, why the matter would take that long, the solicitors said they were “being generous” with time.

“Generous? I don’t have a lot of generosity for time,” Justice Peek replied.

“Never mind – I expect you to be as brief as possible.”

He remanded Moyle in custody to a hearing next month.