Dangerous serial rapist dies months before release, coroner rules

A serial rapist died of natural causes just months before his potential release following decades of incarceration in Queensland, coronial inquest findings have revealed.

Trevor Charles Stone was incarcerated at Borallon Correctional Centre before his death in 2021. AAP Image: Jono Searle

A serial rapist died of natural causes following decades of incarceration in Queensland, a coronial inquest has ruled.

Trevor Charles Stone, one of Queensland’s longest serving prisoners, died in palliative care in the Princess Alexandra Hospital Secure Unit on June 29, 2021 – just months away from his custodial end date.

In recently published coronial findings, State Coroner Terry Ryan ruled that Stone had died as a result of Stage 4 metastatic lung cancer.

Stone, 57 at the time of his death, had spent most of his adult life incarcerated for multiple rape and sexual offence convictions.

He had grown up on the streets of Cairns after being subjected to abuse at the hands of older relatives, and would often steal money to give to his mother, Mr Ryan noted.

Stone received an indefinite sentence in 1998, which had been reviewed and upheld three times from 2011 to 2015.

Mr Ryan said Stone had still been considered a “serious danger to the community” at the time of each of those reviews.

Trevor Charles Stone was incarcerated at Borallon Correctional Centre before his death in 2021. AAP Image: Jono Searle

In Stone’s 2018 review, however, the indefinite sentence was discharged and he was sentenced to 18 years jail – cumulative upon his prior sentences.

His custodial end date was set for September 24, 2021 – which prompted the Attorney-General to pursue an application for an order restricting his release under the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act.

Stone ultimately died just days before he was scheduled to undergo risk assessments by court-ordered psychiatrists.

With all his known family now deceased, Stone nominated his cellmate as his next of kin – who was referred to in the inquest findings as “Mr Carter”.

Mr Carter had raised concerns shortly after Stone’s death that Stone had been denied access to “life prolonging” medication because he was a prisoner, Mr Ryan noted.

At the time of Stone’s May 2025 coronial inquest, however, Mr Carter said he would not attend and that he had no concerns.

Oncology expert Associate Professor Dr Simon Durrant gave evidence that Stone’s treatment was “of a highly professional standard and would not have been any better administered by any other institution within Australia”.

Mr Ryan concluded that Mr Stone had died from natural causes and that there were no recommendations required regarding public health and safety, the administration of justice, or to prevent deaths under similar circumstances in future.

“I find that none of the inmates, correctional or health care staff at the PAH (Princess Alexandra Hospital) or the BTCC (Borallon Training and Correctional Centre) caused or contributed to his death,” Mr Ryan said.

“There were no suspicious circumstances.”