NSW sex predator Ronald James Anderson attempts child rape

The state has failed to protect the community from one of NSW’s most violent sexual predators, who has tried to rape a young girl.

The state has failed to protect the community from one of NSW’s most violent sexual predators who has this time repeatedly tried to rape a young girl.

Ronald James Anderson, 56, has spent most of his adult life behind bars, serving sentences for extreme violence, including kidnapping and brutally raping a stranger over several hours after escaping from Grafton Prison, having scaled the wall with a grappling hook, in 2001.

Upon his release in 2015, The NSW Supreme Court approved an application by the state to monitor his movements with a tracking device, under a five-year extended supervision order (ESO).

These orders are put in place to protect the community against the state’s most dangerous criminals once their sentences are up, including terrorists and murderers.

Anderson faces up to 20 years behind bars.

But despite these efforts, The Daily Telegraph can reveal Anderson offended again in 2019 — this time against an innocent child.

“What kind of sentence is required to protect the community from this offender?” Crown Prosecutor William Martin asked at a NSW District Court sentence hearing on Thursday.

A jury found Anderson guilty in a two-week trial in May of attempted sexual intercourse, two counts of aggravated attempted sexual assault and indecent assault.

Anderson — who is now back in custody — pleaded not guilty and continues to deny responsibility.

Mr Martin told the court: “He is a serious sexual offender … the community needs to be protected from him … he has a terrible criminal history and committed these offences under an ESO. It doesn’t look good. There is no real evidence he can positively rehabilitate when he gets into the community.

The court heard how Anderson tried to rape a 10-year-old girl by pulling his and her pants down, while kissing her on the mouth.

He tried to push his penis into her vagina unsuccessfully on another occasion, the court heard.

The girl both times managed to kick him and run away.

“He tried harder each time … it escalated. She has been fearful and impacted by these offences. She has been traumatised as a result,” Mr Martin told the court.

Anderson’s barrister Sophie Walsh argued Anderson could have overpowered the girl physically or chased her, but he did not, so it was unlike his previous violent offences.

“It was not a crime like the crime he committed when he was younger — with an adult and violence,” Ms Walsh told the court.

Ms Walsh also told the court the offences were at the lower range of seriousness because there was no penetration.

She said Judge Phillip Taylor SC should take into account Anderson’s “institutionalisation” within the prison system.

Judge Taylor will hand down his sentence next month.