Convicted child sex offender Paul John Cecere fronts Ipswich Court for indecent act, stalking

A convicted child sex offender subjected a woman to months of terror, with a court hearing how his inability to “control his urges” culminated in a creepy sexual display outside her window.

A convicted child sex offender subjected a woman to months of terror, with a court hearing how his inability to “control his urges” culminated in a creepy sexual display outside her window.

A convicted child sex offender persistently stalked an Ipswich woman for eight months, during which he repeatedly offered to supply her drugs and subjected her to a creepy sexual display.

Paul John Cecere, 48, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on September 6, 2023, to stalking, an indecent act in any place with intent to insult or offend any person, supplying schedule one dangerous drugs, and seven counts of supplying schedule two dangerous drugs.

The court heard Cecere had stalked a 26-year-old woman in Redbank Plains for around eight months in 2022.

From January 1, he had attended her home two to three times a week, banged on her door, and offered to supply her drugs over text.

The court heard he had offered to supply her methamphetamine on one occasion and cannabis on the other occasions.

There was only one instance where he actually supplied drugs, in which he had left 0.4g of cannabis outside her home.

The offending culminated on August 4, when Cecere stood in view of the woman’s bedroom window and masturbated in front of her.

Judge Dennis Lynch said Cecere was “in a position where you knew she could see you”.

Cecere was arrested the following day and spent the next 397 days in custody waiting for his sentence.

Crown prosecutor Matt LeGrand said Cecere’s actions had a “seriously detrimental” impact on the woman.

“She felt fear and felt unsafe in her own home … She had made it abundantly clear that she did not want to have contact with him,” he said.

Mr LeGrand said the woman had installed CCTV cameras, put a padlock on her front gate, and arranged for others to stay with her.

“The act of masturbating in full view of her demonstrates that he (Cecere) was unable or unwilling to control his urges,” Mr LeGrand said.

Judge Lynch noted Cecere’s criminal history included a 2014 conviction for masturbating in public, for which he received a probation order.

He said Cecere had also previously been sentenced to three years imprisonment for carnal knowledge with an underage teenager, using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence, and injuring animals at night.

That sentence was suspended immediately after his 748 days in presentence custody, the court heard.

Defence barrister Justin Thomas said his client had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and also had difficulties with drug use.

He said Cecere had been hospitalised a number of times throughout his adult life due to his mental health difficulties.

Cecere planned to move to Southport after his release, Mr Thomas said.

Judge Lynch said the 397 days Cecere had already spent in custody since his arrest was a sufficient period for the offending.

He sentenced Cecere to 397 imprisonment, and declared his 397 days in presentence custody as time-served.

Cecere was also ordered to complete six months probation and comply with any psychiatric treatment directed by his probation officer.

Originally published as Convicted child sex offender Paul John Cecere fronts Ipswich Court for indecent act, stalking