Evil 8 predator is released from jail

A South Bunbury man jailed over the rape of a 12-year-old girl at the centre of the Evil 8 paedophile ring has been released on parole.

While it is not known whether Troy Phillip Milbourne will return to live in the South West, there is nothing in his parole conditions to stop him doing so.

Milbourne was one of seven men jailed over the sexual abuse of the young girl after her father offered her to strangers for sex.

Safe4Kids managing director Holly-ann Martin told the South Western Times that while she could not comment specifically on the circumstances around Milbourne’s release, education was the key in keeping children safe in the community.

“It’s important for parents to advocate for that part of education be taught in schools,” Mrs Martin said.

“Not particularly for this incident, but it’s important for kids to know generally that it’s not about stranger danger with 96 per cent of sex offenders known by children.

“It’s about teaching protective behaviours.”

Milbourne has been ordered to have no contact with the victim or her family or unsupervised contact with any female children aged under 16.

He will also have to undergo random drug testing and get a job.

Milbourne met the girl and her father at a dog beach near Quinns Rock after responding to a Craigslist advertisement posted by the father.

He later went to the girl’s house where he showered with her and had sex with her in a bedroom.

After spending roughly three years and six months behind bars for his role in the notorious paedophile ring, Milbourne’s parole was approved by the Prisoners Review Board.

During a trial of issues before sentencing, Milbourne admitted having sex with the then 12-year-old but argued he should receive a lesser sentence because he believed she was “17 or 18” at the time of the offences.

Milbourne said he had formed that belief because the girl’s father had told him “she was legal” and she looked “more developed” than his ex-girlfriend.

But Judge Alan Troy dismissed his arguments saying he was satisfied Milbourne knew the girl was younger than 16 and jailed him for five years and three months in November 2016, backdated to his arrest in June 2015.

Milbourne was convicted of three counts of sexual penetration of a child under 13 and four counts of indecent dealings with a child under 13.

In its decision, the Prisoners Review Board noted he had completed a “medium intensity” sex offender program that demonstrated motivation and willingness to address his behaviour.

The board also took into account that Milbourne’s supervision in the community for the remainder of his sentence was “likely to offer more protection” to the community in the long term compared to his release at the end of his sentence with no supervision.