Richard Lee: Convicted child sex offender sentenced for failing to comply with reporting obligations

The Hurstville hospitality worker was charged after he failed to tell police he became a member of Timezone in Westfield Miranda.

A convicted child sex offender has avoided going to jail after he failed to tell police he had signed up to play arcade games at Westfield Miranda.

Richard Ngon Lee, 38, was previously convicted of child sex offences and possessing child abuse material which meant he was placed on the Child Protection Register.

The Hurstville hospitality worker appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced for failing to comply with reporting obligations of the Child Protection Offenders Register.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Lee had previously been convicted of the same offence in 2016.

The documents said Lee was sentenced in Sydney District Court in September 2009 for charges of using a carriage service to access child pornography, possessing child pornography, having sexual intercourse with a person aged over 10 and five counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child 14 years or older.

Lee was placed on the Child Protection Register for 15 years but that was extended to life after he was again convicted of four counts possessing child abuse material in February 2020 where he received a three-year jail sentence with a non-parole period of two years, documents said.

Upon his release in May 2021, Lee was notified of his reporting obligations by police and on June 8 this year officers attended his home for an inspection.

Police searched Lee’s phone and laptop, which he provided to officers before looking through his Gmail accounts where they found an email titled ‘Timezone Membership’ dated March 12 this year, the documents said.

Lee went to Kogarah Police Station on June 16 where he told officers he walked past Timezone Miranda in Westfield, a store full of arcade games and where kids can have parties.

He told officers he had a Service NSW Discovery voucher and “decided to use it there”, adding he believed he signed up for the membership the following day, the court documents said.

Lee told investigators he did not believe a Timezone membership fell under “organisation membership criteria”, like a gym.

Police reminded Lee of his obligations which states he must disclose details of an affiliation with any club or organisation that has child membership or child participation in its activities within seven days.

Lee told officers he was “mistaken”, documents said.

In court on Tuesday, Lee’s defence lawyer said his client had “no intention” to deceive or not inform the police about the membership, noting it was a “blip and oversight”.

The lawyer said Lee had engaged in counselling to address his offending behaviour.

The court heard Lee was “trying to get back into society” and was now working full time in a restaurant.

A police prosecutor said the breach was “not the most serious” but families who went to Timezone would be concerned because the games were geared towards children and teenagers.

However he noted adults could play as well.

The prosecutor said Lee had previously breached reporting obligations and given his criminal history, submitted the offence warranted Lee be given a custodial sentence.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said the breach fell “below the mid range of objective seriousness”.

He said he was still unsure of Lee’s prospects of rehabilitation because his offending was “continuous”.

Magistrate Donnelly noted Lee had taken steps to see a psychologist before agreeing the custodial threshold was crossed.

He placed Lee on an intensive correction order for six months, where he will need to be supervised by community corrections.

Lee must complete 50 hours of community service and continue seeing a psychologist to deal with his impulsivity and mental health issues.

Richard Ngon Lee, 38, was previously convicted of child sex offences and possessing child abuse material. He has now been sentenced for failing to comply with reporting obligation of the Child Protection Offenders Register. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Lee was placed on the Child Protection Register for 15 years but that was extended to life after he was again convicted of four counts possessing child abuse material in February 2020 where he received a three-year jail sentence with a non-parole period of two years, documents said.

Upon his release in May 2021, Lee was notified of his reporting obligations by police and on June 8 this year officers attended his home for an inspection.

Police searched Lee’s phone and laptop, which he provided to officers before looking through his Gmail accounts where they found an email titled ‘Timezone Membership’ dated March 12 this year, the documents said.

Lee went to Kogarah Police Station on June 16 where he told officers he walked past Timezone Miranda in Westfield, a store full of arcade games and where kids can have parties.

He told officers he had a Service NSW Discovery voucher and “decided to use it there”, adding he believed he signed up for the membership the following day, the court documents said.

Lee told investigators he did not believe a Timezone membership fell under “organisation membership criteria”, like a gym.

Police reminded Lee of his obligations which states he must disclose details of an affiliation with any club or organisation that has child membership or child participation in its activities within seven days.

Lee told officers he was “mistaken”, documents said.

Richard Lee failed to tell police he signed up to be a member at Timezone, where children, teens and families play arcade games. File image

In court on Tuesday, Lee’s defence lawyer said his client had “no intention” to deceive or not inform the police about the membership, noting it was a “blip and oversight”.

The lawyer said Lee had engaged in counselling to address his offending behaviour.

The court heard Lee was “trying to get back into society” and was now working full time in a restaurant.

A police prosecutor said the breach was “not the most serious” but families who went to Timezone would be concerned because the games were geared towards children and teenagers.

However he noted adults could play as well.

The prosecutor said Lee had previously breached reporting obligations and given his criminal history, submitted the offence warranted Lee be given a custodial sentence.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said the breach fell “below the mid range of objective seriousness”.

He said he was still unsure of Lee’s prospects of rehabilitation because his offending was “continuous”.

Magistrate Donnelly noted Lee had taken steps to see a psychologist before agreeing the custodial threshold was crossed.

He placed Lee on an intensive correction order for six months, where he will need to be supervised by community corrections.

Lee must complete 50 hours of community service and continue seeing a psychologist to deal with his impulsivity and mental health issues.