Convicted child pornographer Sonny Day dead four months after leaving the Freedom Centre’s support home in Ellendale

A FORMER resident of a controversial home for child sex offenders has been found dead.

Sonny Day, at left, being released from jail after serving a sentence of producing child pornography including a fictitious account about missing child William Tyrell.

A FORMER resident of a controversial home for child sex offenders has been found dead.

The body of convicted paedophile Sonny Day, 61, was found in Claremont yesterday morning.

Day, who previously lived in the Freedom Centre’s home for ex-offenders in Ellendale, had been missing since Thursday.

Glenorchy Detective Inspector Craig Joel said a report was being prepared for the coroner.

“The available evidence is there are no suspicious circumstances,” he told the Mercury.

Day spent time in jail last year for child pornography which included disturbing stories he wrote about missing youngsters William Tyrell and UK girl Madeleine McCann.

After being released he moved into the Freedom Centre which reignited concerns among residents in the small town.

The centre runs a religious-based support program for former prisoners but its presence in Ellendale has not been well received in the Derwent Valley community.

Following an arson attack at the property, which destroyed his car, and calls by the State Government to have the men moved out, Day left the home.

He went back to using his first name Craig and was last living at Bilton Lodge in Claremont.

Freedom Centre director Elizabeth Coleman said: “All I can say is regardless of one’s personal opinion and prejudices about these people, it has to be remembered they have served their time and they are free citizens,” she said.

Prisoners Legal Service chairman Greg Barns agreed.

“Sonny Day was treated appallingly by some in our society. They do not get the fact that when prisoners are released they have a right to live safely,” he said.

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