Former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes’ public parole hearing concludes in Sydney

A former Hey Dad! cast member and convicted pedophile’s sad transformation was revealed when he appeared in court in a bid for freedom.

Convicted pedophile and ex-Australian TV star Robert Hughes should be released from prison because there is a low risk he will reoffend, a court has been told.

The 73-year-old former star of sitcom Hey Dad!, who was described as looking old and frail, is serving a 10 year and nine-month prison sentence for historic child sex offences, including sexual intercourse without consent and multiple acts of indecent assault.

Robert Hughes played a widowed dad in comedy series Hey Dad!

He will be deported to the UK if granted parole.

His six year non-parole period expired in 2020 and the NSW State Parole Authority has twice refused him parole.

The authority held a public hearing in Sydney on Friday after earlier requesting a psychological report about Hughes’ risk of reoffending.

Addressing the hearing, Hughes’ solicitor Hannah Bruce said he had “consistently been assessed as either medium, below risk or low risk of reoffending”.

“Whilst in custody it makes him ineligible for programs, he is ineligible for any sex offender programs … there are no further programs that he can complete whilst in custody that would go to reducing his risk of reoffending,” she said.

“It’s not a situation where he will be completely unmonitored when released to the community.

“He’s a gentleman towards the end of his years. His focus on release is maintaining a very low profile.”

Robert Hughes (bottom left) with his former cast members including the child he abused, Sarah Monahan (bottom centre).

The hearing was told Hughes’ wife, former celebrity talent agent Robyn Gardner, maintained her support for him and had made contact with a psychologist specialising in treating sex offenders like Hughes who maintain their innocence.

If parole is granted Hughes will be immediately deported to the UK after he renounced his Australian citizenship and the federal government cancelled his residency visa.

In the UK Hughes will be required to notify authorities about his whereabouts and personal circumstances, with his legal representative telling the hearing there would be “significant sanctions” if the notification orders were breached.

Robert Hughes continues to deny any wrongdoing.

Several of the victims Hughes targeted in the 1980s and ’90s, including former co-star Sarah Monahan, were present in court for the hearing and he showed no emotion as he appeared via audiovisual link on a screen from prison.

“He looked really, really old,” Ms Monahan told reporters gathered outside the Parramatta Law Courts building where the hearing took place.

“Anybody who’s going through it and they’re scared to go in to the court and see them, absolutely do it because it takes all their power away.

“I wanted him to see me … and that I wasn’t scared anymore.”

Sarah Monahan played the daughter of Robert Hughes’ Hey Dad! character.

Ms Monahan said she had doubts about findings Hughes had a low risk of reoffending.

“He’s an old man and he’s frail but they don’t change,” she said.

“He’s a denier, he still thinks he hasn’t done anything wrong so he’ll keep doing the wrong thing and be like ‘I didn’t do anything’.

“On the one hand I’d prefer him to stay in jail where he’s not hurting kids and on the other hand it’s like, just let him go, let him be someone else’s problem and then I don’t have to deal with it anymore.”

According to court documents, the bulk of Hughes’ crimes were committed before he secured the lead role of widowed dad Martin Kelly on the hit Channel 7 sitcom that ran for seven years.

While in jail, Hughes claimed he was subject to constant verbal and physical abuse that included excrement, urine and boiling water being thrown over him.

Hughes’ sentence is due to expire on January 6, 2025.

The parole board has reserved its decision.