Jason Charles Buckley released from prison after serving 22 years for multiple rape charges

Despite remaining a ‘serious danger to the community’, a convicted violent serial rapist has been released into the community.

A sadistic serial rapist, convicted of violent attacks on women in Dalby and Toowoomba, has been released after serving 22 years behind bars.

Jason Charles Buckley, 50, was convicted in September 2003 of five counts of rape following three heinous attacks on women in 1999 and 2000.

The Supreme Court of Queensland was told the first two rapes were committed on a 20-year-old woman who was walking home alone when about 4am he grabbed her from behind, forced her to the ground and anally and vaginally raped her.

The second series of assaults were committed in Toowoomba when Buckley broke into a 67-year-old woman’s home and attacked her while she slept, attempting to sodomise her before dragging her into the backyard of the house and raping her.

Undated: Convicted Darling Downs rapist James (Jason) Charles Buckley.

The third set of offences involved a 15-year-old victim who he chased and knocked to the ground in Queens Park in Toowoomba, breaking her leg, where she was repeatedly raped.

After his arrest on April 27, 2000, Buckley pleaded guilty to the charges in District Court and was handed an indefinite prison sentence, however after an appeal that reached the High Court the sentence was set aside, with concurrent 22 year imprisonments imposed.

In a Supreme Court of Queensland hearing for Buckley’s release, Chief Justice Helen Bowskill granted Buckley’s release from custody on April 26, 2022, under the terms of a supervision order.

The court was told Buckley had been assessed by three psychiatrists who all found that while he presented a high risk of sexual reoffending if released without supervision, the risks could be reduced by a supervision order.

“Accordingly, the court can be satisfied that a supervision order will adequately protect the community against the risk posed by the respondent,” Justice Bowskill said.

“I consider the evidence does not support the making of an order for the respondent to be detained in custody for an indefinite term for control, care or treatment.

“In the unusual circumstances of this case, I am ultimately persuaded that on the proper exercise of the Court’s discretion, it is appropriate to make an order … that the respondent’s release from custody be supervised, under the conditions of a supervision order.”