AFP probes potential conflicts in case of pedophile Stephen Mitchell

The AFP has launched a probe into its investigation of a pedophile who previously worked for the agency as an unsworn member.

Stephen Leonard Mitchell entering the ACT Supreme Court last May. Picture: Sam Turner

The Australian Federal Police has launched a probe into its investigation of a pedophile who previously worked for the agency as an unsworn member.

Stephen Leonard Mitchell was sentenced to 13 years’ jail last May for sexual offences against six girls between 1994 and 2008.

The AFP told Greens senator David Shoebridge its professional standards command was investigating a complaint of “alleged serious misconduct” over its investigation into Mitchell, who worked as a sports coach at police youth clubs in Canberra in the early 2000s.

Senator Shoebridge had asked the AFP whether members of its professional standards arm had “any prior connection with the offend­er”.

The AFP said in its answer that no current member of its professional standards section had conflicts of interest in relation to Mitchell but did not say whether previously serving members knew the offender.

The answer came after AFP Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney told Senate estimates last October that the AFP’s handling of the case had been referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

It also has emerged that Mitchell, who most recently was employed by the Department of Home Affairs at the Australian embassy in Jakarta, was given a “negative vetting two” security clearance allowing him to access top-secret information.

Home Affairs previously said it was unaware Mitchell was a suspected pedophile when it was told by the AFP on September 15, 2021 that he was under investigation.

But the AFP told Senator Shoebridge it informed Home Affairs on that date it was investigating Mitchell over alleged “acts of indecency with (a) young person under special care”.

The AFP formally confirmed in early December 2021 that the former youth worker and rock climbing coach was under investigation. But Home Affairs allowed him to continue working as a strategic intelligence analyst in the Jakarta embassy until mid-February 2022.

Senator Shoebridge said the answers provided on the case raised more questions about agencies’ handling of the matter.

“When the AFP says there are no current members of professional standards with a conflict of interest, does this mean there were officers engaged in the past that had a conflict?” he said.

“When Home Affairs first say they were not aware of any details when they were first contacted by the AFP, and then later tell us they knew the exact criminal offence being investigated, which answer do we believe?

“It would be far simpler and more transparent if we were provided with a clear, accurate and concise response rather than this constant ducking and weaving.”

Mitchell was found guilty of sexual assaults on six children by the ACT Supreme Court. He was sentenced to 13 years and five months’ jail with a non-parole period of nine years. He was found guilty last year of an additional sexual assault on an adult victim.

He will be sentenced for that offence in June, and for fraudulently obtaining a security clearance.

Justice David Mossop said the diagnosed pedophile had used a “gross disparity of age and power” to prey on his victims, leaving long-lasting psychological scars including “anxiety, a lack of trust, and perceived lack of self-worth”.

“Those impacts in turn affect their parents, partners and children,” Justice Mossop said.