Police hunt escaped child rapist Andrew Darling

UPDATE: POLICE have released a new image of child rapist Andrew Darling, who was able to walk out of the “Village of the Damned” — the home to some of our worst sex ­offenders.

High alert as police hunt child rapist

VICTORIANS have been put on high alert after a child rapist was able to walk out of the “Village of the Damned” — the Ararat home to some of our worst sex ­offenders.

Andrew Darling, who raped a 13-year-old girl, had several hours’ headstart before the public was warned as Victoria Police were forced to battle through red tape.

ELECTRONIC TAGS TO TRACK RISKY INMATES ‘DROPPING OUT’

Darling, 42, triggered an alarm after cutting off his electronic tracking bracelet shortly after 2.30am yesterday. Despite bringing in the dog squad, police were unable to find him.

Victoria’s Corrections Commissioner Jan Shuard said staff got the alert about the tracking device being removed “immediately”.

Police have released a new photo in the search for Andrew Darling, who absconded from a correctional facility in Ararat. Darling was last detected at the Corella Place facility on Warrak Road shortly after 2.30am.

“They received the alert, the staff immediately attended the unit within a couple of minutes,” Ms Shuard told 3AW radio today.

It is the second time in five years Darling has been hunted by police, after previously breaking his parole just a day after being ­released from jail.

Police issued an image of Darling at 10am yesterday, warning he was a danger to the public, but told media that publishing those details could breach suppression ­orders ­intended to protect his rights.

It was only three hours later that police released a statement confirming media could pass the warning on to Victorians, and pleaded for the alert to be spread as soon as possible.

The suppression orders are designed to protect the rights of offenders who have served their time, but also can prevent the public from being allowed to know whether somebody on the run is a convicted killer, sex offender, or low-level criminal.

Darling, who often wears camouflage clothing, is believed to be the seventh person to have absconded since the Corella Place facility opened eight years ago.

The village-style complex, next to Ararat prison, houses about 35 prisoners who cannot be released into the community due to risk of reoffending. There are no walls surrounding the open facility, but offenders are monitored with GPS ankle bracelets.

Ararat Mayor Paul Hooper said he received a phone call from the facility’s manager about 3am yesterday alerting him to the disappearance.

“Anyone living nearby would naturally have some concerns but I have 100 per cent confidence in the authorities to do their job,” he said.

The State Government last year pledged new tracking technology, to be worn by those at Corella Place, would make disappearing harder.

Carolyn Worth, from the Victorian Centre Against Sexual Assault Forum, said the latest escape “made a mockery of the system.”

“I thought they had resolved those issues with the tracking bracelets,” she said.

Darling was released from prison on May 20, 2009 after serving a nine-year sentence.

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