Andre Petelo: Glendenning child sex offender’s seven breaches

A man who is on the Child Protection Register told cops he had ‘nothing to update’ despite changing his internet provider and joining a country club with its own children’s club.

A convicted child sex offender has been threatened with jail time after police found he had flouted his reporting conditions seven times.

Andrae Petelo, 40, was placed on the Child Protection Register for 15 years in 2012 after being convicted of three counts of indecent assault on a minor in his care.

Facing Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday, the Glendenning man pleaded guilty to seven counts of failing to comply with his reporting obligations to police, as part of his registration.

The court heard Petelo had attended Mt Druitt Police Station in December last year for his annual review when officers uncovered a string of changes which he had failed to disclose.

Despite advising police he had “nothing to update”, police discovered that Petelo had changed his internet provider, purchased a new car, changed jobs and joined a country club on the NSW south coast.

Andrae Petelo, 40, of Glendenning.

According to police documents, Petelo was required to notify police within seven days of any changes to his personal details.

His defence lawyer claimed there was no “ulterior motive” and Petelo’s offending constituted an honest oversight.

However, the prosecution argued the laws were in place to protect the community.

“There are matters where the community expects protection on the basis there is compliance with the reporting obligations,” the prosecution said.

“This is not a person who was on the register yesterday and was confused. This is a person who was on the register for some time and there is no excuse.”

Mt Druitt Police Station. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Magistrate Robyn Richardson described Petelo’s actions as either “extremely naive or avoidant”.

“You joined a club in the Jervis Bay region – that is the worst one because of the children’s club that is there and you would have known you should not have done that,” Magistrate Richardson said.

“That is the one that presents the greatest risk to the community. It’s a serious breach.”

Weighing up whether to sentence Petelo to full-time jail, Magistrate Richardson issued a stern warning.

“On this occasion you will not be removed from your family. If you were ever to do this again that may very well happen,” she said.

Petelo was placed on a Community Corrections Order for three years.