QLD serial child sex offender John Alexander Doyle remanded in custody

A dangerous Queensland predator, who broke into homes and molested boys while wearing a Batman cape, had been quietly living back in the community but alarming new allegations have forced the Attorney-General to intervene.

Generic image behind prison bars. Photo: Brett Wortman / Sunshine Coast Daily

A dangerous child sex offender, who masqueraded as a superhero before spending much of the past three decades in jail, is back behind bars after a new application by Queensland’s Attorney-General.

Gladstone-born John Alexander Doyle, 63, was first convicted on February 20, 1987, and sentenced to 10 years in jail for a series of offences during which he wore a Batman cape and mask, broke into houses at night, bound young boys and sexually abused them.

The offences were committed against seven males aged between 10-20 years of age.

Now, it can be revealed that on February 1, 2024, Doyle was arrested under Section 20 of the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003 for contravening his reporting requirements 10 times between January 15 and February 1 at Berserker, Rockhampton.

Last month, Queensland’s Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath applied to the Supreme Court for Doyle to remanded in custody until a special hearing could be held.

Doyle was first granted parole for his original child sex crimes on July 24, 1992.

He was once again hauled before the courts and convicted on June 17, 1999, on 44 offences including supplying drugs to minors, deprivation of liberty, stealing, fraud and assault.

As he had been on parole at the time of the offences between June, 1996, and January, 1997, he was sentenced to serve out the remainder of his sentence.

The sentencing judge at the time said Doyle had “befriended the boys for personal gratification and for some social support but noted that the conduct was quite predatory, and he was seeking opportunities for sexual gratification from the youths.”

According to court documents, Doyle was again eligible for parole on July 20, 2010, after serving his entire initial sentence but the parole board rejected his application under the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act.

This was because his mother, with whom he proposed to live, was reluctant to acknowledge his offending.

He was eventually released however and on 19 July 2011, returned to custody after breaching a requirement of the supervision order that he not knowingly associate or have contact with anyone convicted of a sexual offence against a child.

“Notwithstanding that contravention having been established, the respondent was released from custody on 30 January 2012, subject

to an amended supervision order,” the documents read.

In November 2012, Doyle was again returned to custody after breaching three requirements of the amended supervision order.

“Those requirements were that he not collect or retain material containing images of children and that he dispose of such material if directed to do so; that he not commit an indictable offence; and that he not access pornographic images of children”.

Again, “the contraventions were established, but the respondent was again released from custody subject to an amended supervision order” made on November 3, 2014.

According to a psychology report tendered in court documents, Doyle has been diagnosed as having multiple sexual psychological disorders, including pedophilia, along with anti-personality traits but was not considered to be a psychopath.

Justice Graeme Crow has approved the Attorney-General’s application to have Doyle held in custody until a special hearing in Brisbane on March 14.

His contravention charges will next be mentioned in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 7.

Originally published as QLD serial child sex offender John Alexander Doyle remanded in custody