Skaf gang rapes: What Mohammed Skaf will do after jail release

Gang rapist Mohammed Skaf spent his first night of freedom with his family after 21 years behind bars. Here’s what he told the parole authority he will do next.

Gang rapist Mohammed Skaf was back in the bosom of his family last night, making himself at home in his own granny flat hoping to study architecture while the sperm he secretly had frozen behind bars awaits its fate.

He walked into the Sydney sunshine from Long Bay Jail wearing a Hugo Boss sweatshirt and bright white trainers after his controversial release on parole 21 years after the gang rapes that terrorised the city.

Skaf told prison authorities that he wanted to get married, have children and study architecture.

Shadow Attorney-General Michael Daley said the 38-year-old’s release was outrageous and his victims had every right to feel let down.

Mohammed Skaf released … Picture: John Grainger

He slammed the government for not applying to the Supreme Court for a continuing detention order to keep Skaf locked up for a few more years or for not waiting until the Covid lockdown ends and prisoners are allowed out again on day and work ­release.

One of the reasons for Skaf’s release was because of the cancellation of day leave and his need to integrate back into society.

“This is Dominic Perrottet’s first fail,” Mr Daley said.

“He purports to be a family man and he’s just let one of the state’s worst rapists who is still unrepentant out on the streets. This is outrageous.”

Monitored 24/7 by wearing a Kevlar-coated ankle bracelet, Skaf has to comply with over 30 parole ­conditions.

He was a 17-year-old schoolboy when along with his older brother Bilal, 18, he organised some of their mates in attacks on seven women in crimes that terrorised Sydney in the run-up to the 2000 Olympics.

Convicted gang rapist Mohammed Skaf in a mug shot.

Older brother Bilal Skaf.

He led the attack on one woman who was raped 40 times by 14 men. Then-District Court Judge Michael Finnane QC, who jailed ­Mohammed for 32 years and Bilal for 55 years, described the crimes as “worse than murder”.

A month after being caught and jailed in October 2000 as he, Bilal and other gang members trawled for fresh victims at Bondi Beach, Mohammed Skaf was diagnosed with Hodgkin‘s disease, a cancer of the lymphatic ­system,

Escorted to the Prince of Wales Hospital, where the Department of Corrective Services has a secure annex, he opted to have sperm stored cryogenically before beginning chemotherapy as a court was told he had cried when told the treatment would leave him unable to have children.

Mohammad Skaf being led to a prison van to begin his sentence.

Gosling Park in Greenacre where Bilal and Mohammed Skaf initiated and took part in gang rapes.

Medical treatment for prisoners is paid for by Justice Health, a division of NSW Health, as part of their duty of care.

The Daily Telegraph ­revealed at the time that ­prison authorities were never told his sperm was to be stored. He only sought treatment for cancer.

After discovering it was being stored for free, the government at the time said Skaf would have to pay around $250 a year from his own pocket.

Other prisoners who had sought similar permission to have their sperm stored had all been refused.

Justice Health was unable to say late on Wednesday whether the policy had been scrapped.

Skaf arrived back at his parents’ Greenacre home with his belongings in three boxes. He has work lined up as a cleaner until his sentence ends on January 1, 2024.