Violent paedophile Douglas Brian Jackway released to live on Wacol precinct that houses sex offenders

Notorious violent paedophile Douglas Brian Jackway, who has been labelled “the worst of the worst”, has arrived at his new home after this morning being released from jail.

A dangerous and violent paedophile labelled “the worst of the worst” who was previously a prime suspect in the murder of Daniel Morcombe has been released from prison on a 15-year supervision order.

Douglas Brian Jackway, who once threatened to cut the throat of a nine-year-old boy after he was caught in the act of raping him, has spent nearly all his adult life in prison.

The Supreme Court yesterday decided to release the 44-year-old to live at the Wacol precinct that houses sex offenders, where he will be subject to a 24-hour curfew and have his movements monitored via a GPS tracker.

He was moved to the Wacol precinct just after 9am in a prison van in a short trip from Brisbane Correctional Centre via an internal corrective services road rather than on public roads.

A prison officer told The Courier-Mail there are usually two or three men living in each of the houses in the precinct.

Douglas Brian Jackway.

A Corrective Services spokesperson said the Attorney-General opposed the release of Jackway.

If the convicted rapist was to be granted permission to leave the housing area, he would be escorted by corrections staff.

“Despite the court’s decision this person is not a free man,” the spokesperson said.

“He is subject to a Supervision Order for 15 years.

“He will be accommodated at the Wacol Correctional Centre accommodation precinct where he will be subject to intensive supervision and surveillance.”

Jackway cannot drink alcohol or take drugs and can be tested at any time.

“He will be subject to a 24-hour curfew, and will be electronically monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” the spokesperson said.

“He cannot have contact, by any means of communication, with a child under the age of 16.

“If granted permission to leave the precinct for any reason, he will be escorted by QCS Staff.

“This person will be subject to on-going supervision to ensure the community stays safe.”

Jackway has only had two months of freedom since 1995 when he dragged a young boy off his bicycle and drove him to an area of mangroves to rape and beat him.

Those two months were around the time of 13-year-old Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe’s abduction and murder, and Jackway, who had been in the area, at one point became one of the main suspects.

Brett Peter Cowan was convicted of Daniel’s murder following a lengthy and complex covert investigation.

Yesterday, prison officers, investigators and Daniel’s father Bruce all said they were alarmed at the prospect of Jackway’s release, claiming it was only a matter of time before he offends again.

A Corrective Services spokesperson said the Attorney-General opposed the release of Jackway. If the convicted rapist was to be granted permission to leave the housing area, he would be escorted by corrections staff.

“Despite the court’s decision this person is not a free man,” the spokesperson said.

“He is subject to a Supervision Order for 15 years.

“He will be accommodated at the Wacol Correctional Centre accommodation precinct where he will be subject to intensive supervision and surveillance.”

Jackway cannot drink alcohol or take drugs and can be tested at any time.

“He will be subject to a 24-hour curfew, and will be electronically monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” the spokesperson said.

“He cannot have contact, by any means of communication, with a child under the age of 16.

“If granted permission to leave the precinct for any reason, he will be escorted by QCS Staff.

“This person will be subject to on-going supervision to ensure the community stays safe.”

The court heard Jackway has been abusing drugs in jail and has committed more than 113 prison violations over the past 15 years, including acts of violence against other inmates.

Jackway assaulted another prisoner in May this year by backhanding him during a disagreement.

Douglas Jackway. Illustration: Jonathan Bentley

“I can’t believe they’ve let him out,” a prison officer said.

“He is just one piece of s--t. He’s just a predator. You have your paedophiles – but he is a violent paedophile.

“It makes him so dangerous. He’s the worst I’ve seen in my career.

“The consequences of what he could do outweighs anything.”

Daniel Morcombe’s father Bruce said he had become familiar with Jackway’s horror criminal history when police were at one point investigating him for his son’s murder.

“Certainly I’m shocked that a person with his record would be considered a suitable person to be released,” he said.

“I’ve read his police file, I’m very familiar with his work, both what he has been charged with and also allegations of other offending that never made it to court.

“He is definitely the worst of the worst.

“He is not a groomer of young people – he’s not a paedophile that grooms kids – he is one of the most violent paedophiles in Australia.

“I hope he has rehabilitated today.

“We all hold our breath and hope no further carnage happens.”

One detective who worked on the Morcombe investigation said Jackway was a public danger. “There’ll be carnage for some poor victims as a result,” the detective said.

This was Jackway’s seventh attempt to be released, with judges previously ordering he remain locked up.

The decision comes despite one assessing psychiatrist warning Jackway was a “high risk of reoffending in a sexual manner if released … without a supervision order”.

The doctor said that risk only dropped to “moderate” with an order in place.

Another psychiatrist said Jackway had “prominent psychopathic traits”.

The Queensland Corrective Services facility at Wacol yesterday

Justice Sue Brown said while it was onerous, the 15-year supervision order was necessary due to the time it would take the paedophile to reintegrate into society after spending so long in prison.

“As is evident from (previous) decisions, each year has seen Mr Jackway’s behaviour improving with signs of maturation, although he still engaged in self-sabotaging behaviour in 2018 and 2019,” Justice Brown wrote.

“Mr Jackway had committed numerous breaches in custody demonstrating a lack of control with impulsive behaviour and violent, aggressive outbursts.

His aggressive behaviours were often linked to when he was feeling agitated and frustrated when he could not get his own way.”

In evidence put before the hearing, Jackway claimed he previously “self-sabotaged” his prospects of release due to his fears about leaving the prison environment.

“He has spoken openly about his anxiety about media attention upon his release and adjusting to being released after so many years of imprisonment,” Justice Brown said.

“He stated to (a psychiatrist) that he would have to take it step by step and acknowledged that he would be subject to a curfew and wearing an ankle bracelet.”

Justice Brown said the order allowed Queensland Corrective Services to adjust its terms to allow Jackway “greater freedoms as time progresses if his conduct supports a relaxing of the conditions”.

Jackway’s supervision order conditions include being confined to the Wacol precinct where other sex offenders are housed, submitting to random drug and alcohol testing twice a week, abiding by the curfew and having no contact with children under the age of 16.

Prison intel officers uncovered evidence that Jackway was writing love letters to baby killer Candaneace Lea Metius while they were both in jail.

Metius smothered her own baby in hospital – a crime that was captured on hidden cameras in the little boy’s room.

Metius was recently released on parole.

A court sketch of Jackway