Bryce Anthony Paul back in court: Ipswich child sex offender turns to God

An Ipswich child sex offender was sentenced in court for breaching his community-based prison sentence – again.

Ipswich child sex offender Bryce Anthony Paul

A convicted child sex offender has yet again faced Ipswich District Court for breaching his suspended sentence, this time with a stern warning to obey his parole officers or face hard time.

Known sex offender, Bryce Anthony Paul, 23, unemployed, also turned up late to court on Monday morning, December 5, and warned by a judge for refusing to carry out a sex offender program and mental health care plan.

Paul is serving a community-based order after pleading guilty last year to five counts of unlawful carnal knowledge and using the internet to procure a child under the age of 16.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren, SC, noted the relations were consensual between Paul and a 14-year-old child, but that did not detract from the seriousness of the crime.

“You have been given direction to obtain a mental health care plan and attend psychological counselling at Logan,” Judge Horneman-Wren said.

Ipswich sex offender, Bryce Anthony Paul, leaves court on December 5, 2022.

“You must do what they tell you to do.

“You have not participated in any sexual offending program because you deny your offending – you pleaded guilty.

“Now I accept that you may not see yourself as child sex offender… nonetheless that’s what you have been convicted of. You are a child sex offender, as defined.”

He told Paul the community took reporting obligations by prisoners very seriously and in November the Queensland Parliament passed a Bill to double the minimum reporting period to 10 years.

“If you are back here in the future having failed to (comply)…. because it’s a child sex offence you cannot get court-ordered parole, you would have to go to jail that day,” he warned.

Ipswich Courthouse. Picture: Cordell Richardson

In February Paul was sentenced to six months’ jail, wholly suspended for one year, after he was caught making plans to meet up with a 15-year-old girl, in breach of his bail.

He pleaded guilty to breaching bail conditions and failing to comply with his reporting.

Defence lawyer Cecelia Bernardin said since being convicted, her client felt isolated from his family and had turned to God.

“This year he moved out of home, he’s had difficulties with his mother,” she said.

“He was very very close to (his family) before, he’s since then turned to the church.

“He attends bible studies each Wednesday and he is trying to find a job and is obtaining help from PCYC to get his licence.”

Judge Horneman-Wren agreed with both the prosecution and defence teams that it would be unjust to activate any term of actual jail and extended Paul’s operational period by three months.

Paul was originally sentenced to 21 months’ jail, suspended for three years, and two years’ probation, but the operational period would now end on August 16, 2024.

He has not spent any time in custody and continued to serve out his suspended jail term under the Correction Board’s supervision within the community.