Attorney-General for the State of Queensland v Watt

The Attorney-General of the State of Queensland applied for an order against Rowland Arnold Watt, a 34-year-old individual with a history of serious sexual offences against children, under section 13 of the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003. Watt's criminal history dates back to 2006 when he was convicted of indecent treatment of a child under 16 years of age and has since accumulated multiple convictions for similar offences, possession of child exploitation material, and breaches of reporting obligations. The court was tasked with determining whether Watt posed an unacceptable risk of reoffending if released from custody without a supervision order and, if so, whether adequate community protection could be ensured through a supervision order rather than a continuing detention order.

The court examined psychiatric evidence from three experts who diagnosed Watt with paedophilia, substance use disorder, and significant personality disorders. The psychiatrists concluded that Watt was at high risk of reoffending without supervision, but that his risk could be reduced to a moderate and manageable level if he completed a High Intensity Sexual Offenders Program and was subject to a supervision order. The court accepted the psychiatric evidence and determined that Watt posed an unacceptable risk of reoffending if released without a supervision order. Given that a supervision order would provide adequate protection of the community, the court preferred a supervision order over a continuing detention order.

Justice Callaghan ordered that Rowland Arnold Watt be released on 9 May 2021 on the conditions of a supervision order for a period of 10 years, as detailed in the draft supervision order provided (Annexure “A”). This decision ensures that the community is adequately protected while also considering the expert psychiatric evidence that a supervision order would reduce Watt's risk of reoffending to a moderate level.