Child sex offender Anthony James Marshall in Ipswich Court for failing to report contact with with young girl

A convicted child sex offender has been brought back before a southeast Queensland court after police uncovered his unsupervised contact with a seven-year-old girl.

Raceview resident Anthony James Marshall, 40, leaves Ipswich Court on March 19, 2024. Picture: Nicola McNamara

A convicted child sex offender has been issued a jail sentence after he concealed from police that he had moved in with his fiance to help take care of her three children.

Raceview resident Anthony James Marshall, 40, pleaded guilty on March 19 to five counts of failing to comply with his reporting conditions under the child protection act.

The Ipswich Magistrates’ Court heard Marshall had been a reportable offender since 2014, when he was convicted in New South Wales of indecent treatment of a minor.

As part of his reporting conditions, Marshall was required to notify police of any contact he had with children in quarterly reports.

But the court heard he had chosen to move in with his now ex-fiance and her three children - without notifying police.

Magistrate Robert Walker noted Marshall would have had unsupervised contact with the children - the youngest of which was aged seven.

It is not alleged Marshall mistreated the children in any way.

Mr Walker said Marshall had told police he had known the eldest children for a number of years and the youngest for at least a year.

He had been helping his fiance to look after the children after she started a new job, Mr Walker said.

Marshall had also failed to report details of owning a motor vehicle and about a new Facebook account, which he was required to report.

Mr Walker noted Marshall already had two convictions on his history for breaching his reporting conditions.

Defence lawyer Matt Gemmell said his client had an intellectual impairment, which he said significantly reduced his culpability.

Mr Walker accepted the impairment may reduce Marshall’s culpability somewhat, but not to the point where it excused “these very significant failings”.

“It can’t act to blunt the importance of deterrence and denunciation.”

He sentenced Marshall to four months imprisonment, wholly suspended for 12 months.