Sex offender Jeamy Olaa jailed after statewide manhunt

A convicted sex offender who evaded police was finally tracked down hiding out in Melbourne’s west.

A police mugshot of sex offender Jeamy Olaa, 29, also known as Jimmy Akot. Picture: supplied

A violent, convicted sex offender who lead police on a statewide manhunt after he purposely fell off their radar has been locked up.

Jeamy Olaa, 29, formerly of Laverton, absconded after he was released from prison earlier this year following a three month jail stint handed down by the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court in January for sexual assault.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday, Olaa, who also goes by the name Jimmy Akot, was arrested in Williamstown in October.

At an earlier hearing police told the court Olaa refused to sign a notice of reporting obligations prior to his release or to get in touch with the sex offender registry within a week of getting out of prison.

When Olaa did make contact, he told registry officers he was living in Laverton.

He then moved to Deer Park but suddenly left the property two months later, leaving his landlord, who had no idea where Olaa went, to alert the cops.

Olaa was arrested in Williamstown on October 17 following a statewide manhunt where police released his image and made a public appeal for help to find him.

The court also heard Olaa was previously jailed by the County Court for a vicious unprovoked attack on members of the public.

When quizzed by police about why he failed to report as required, the court heard he was dismissive and told them he “didn’t know it was that serious”.

Magistrate Peter Reardon told the court on Wednesday Olaa had a long history of violent and armed offending.

Reporting obligations were imposed on registered sex offenders to keep the community safe, he said, but Olaa repeatedly flouted the rules despite repeated warnings.

Olaa’s lawyer Stephanie Sprott told the court her client suffered depression due to trauma he experienced as a child growing up in war-torn Sudan.

She told the court it was his first time on the sex register and he now took his responsibilities seriously.

She asked the court to release her client on time served, but Mr Reardon said the offences were too serious.

“He has little regard for authority and he is a real sentencing worry,” Mr Reardon said.

“He deliberately, in my view, ignored the obligations of a convicted sex offender.”

Mr Reardon sentenced Olaa to 120 days’ jail. He declared 53 days presentence detention time served.