About 40,000 people have signed a petition calling for a harsher sentence for convicted child molester

Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for the Qld Attorney General to repeal the parole period for a convicted child molester.

Sterling Free leaves Westfield North Lakes with the little girl he was convicted of kidnapping and molesting.

ALMOST 40,000 people have signed a petition calling on attorney-general Yvette D’Ath to repeal the parole period for convicted child molester Sterling Free.

Free, a father of two, was sentenced on Thursday for kidnapping a seven-year-old girl from Kmart at Westfield North Lakes, driving her to an isolated spot and indecently assaulting her.

He drove the girl back to the centre about an hour later.

RELATED

● Outrage over the sentence handed down to child sex offender

● Bruce, Denise Morcombe, Peter Dutton slam Sterling Free sentence

● Pedo Sterling Free sentence: Only two years’ jail for man who molested girl

● Sterling Free sexually assaulted girl after luring her from North Lakes Kmart

Ms D’Ath is being called to urgently appeal the eight-year sentence after the 27-year-old pleaded guilty to taking the child for an immoral purpose, deprivation of liberty, and indecent treatment of a child under 12.

After serving 306 days on remand, Brisbane District Court Judge Julie Dick set Free’s parole eligibility date as August, 2021, less than two years from now.

Judge Dick decided against making a serious violent offender declaration, despite a recommendation to do so by the prosecution.

“As appalling as the offence is I, cannot be satisfied it’s so outside of the norm of that offence that I should make the declaration,” Judge Dick said.

$1 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST 8 WEEKS. Min. cost $4

But the child’s mother was bitterly disappointed.

“My tiny innocent girl was well aware of stranger danger, however this person was friendly to her and tricked her into following him,” she said in a statement.

“No child should ever have to go through this type of trauma, and no sentence will ever be long enough to make up for the ongoing effects this will have on her.

“While disappointed with the sentence, my daughter and our family are moving forward.”

Member for Petrie Luke Howarth, whose electorate covers North Lakes, has joined the chorus of people calling for a more severe sentence.

A change.org petition imploring Ms D’Ath to repeal Free’s parole eligibility period has just less than 40,000 signatures at the time of going to print.

“What this man did is despicable and will have serious effects on the life of this little girl and her family for the rest of their lives,” Mr Howarth said.

“I don’t know any parents who could rest easy knowing that this predator could be back out in the community in just two years after luring, kidnapping and sexually assaulting an innocent child.

“I’m with the community calling upon the Attorney General to take action, enough is enough we must keep our vulnerable young people safe.”

A spokesman for the Attorney-General said prosecutors had up to a month to decide if an appeal had a reasonable chance of success.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe, parents of murdered schoolboy Daniel Morcombe slammed the sentence, saying they “fear for the children of Queensland”.

The Morcombes, who travelled to Brisbane to support the girl’s family, said the sentence would “be a shock to every Queenslander and indeed every Australian”.

“The bar needs to be high to say to these other people, these other creeps who have a fascination with our kids, ‘don’t go there or you’ll be locked up for decades’,” Mr Morcombe said.

Member for Dickson Peter Dutton said the sentence was an “outrage” and called for the Queensland Government to immediately appeal it and introduce legislation to create minimum mandatory sentences for child sex offenders.

State Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said Free should not be eligible for ­parole at all.

“This horrible human being needs to be locked up for his entire sentence,” she said.

“To think this vile grub will be back on the streets in less than two years is totally unacceptable.

“Eight years’ jail should mean eight years’ jail and not a minute less.”

Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston said the sentence was “pathetic”, questioning if it was long enough for Free to complete sex offender courses.

“He’s a danger to children because he can’t help himself and we can’t say: ‘That’s OK, he can get out’,” she said.

Parole Board Queensland will be tasked with deciding if Free should be released if he makes an application for parole when he becomes eligible.

Outside court, Free’s lawyer Shaune Irving read an apology letter form his client.

“I cannot comprehend the pain that I have cause her. I took away her innocence and scared her family,” Free said. “I can’t even imagine the pain and fear that I caused. I can’t take that back and I’m so sorry that she ever had to go through this”.

A spokesman for the Attorney-General said prosecutors had up to a month to decide if an appeal had a reasonable chance of success.

The change.org petition is HERE.