A convicted child sex offender who police believe is at “very high risk” of re-offending has had his bid for freedom denied.
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Peter Pryse, 35, faced Bendigo Magistrates Court yesterday charged with three contraventions of the sex offender register.
Pryse was placed on the sex offender register for life after being convicted of indecently assaulting a six-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy in 2004.
Police arrested Pryse on Wednesday night when it was found he was living with two six-year-old boys, the sons of his partner, without notifying authorities.
He had also failed to tell police about a motorbike he had purchased in 2008 and a change of address.
Anyone on the sex offender register must comply with a strict set of conditions including notifying police of a long list of personal details.
Police informant Detective Senior Constable Fisher said Pryse had broken these conditions twice before, once for failing to disclose personal details and another time for living with a child without notifying police.
Pryce’s defence counsel Peter Baker said he understood his client would be facing jail time for this third breach but applied for bail until the matter was finalised.
The ultimately unsuccessful application was opposed by police who argued Pryse was at serious risk of re-offending while on bail.
“The risk of a registered sex offender re-offending is categorised as low, medium and high – he is listed as very high,” Detective Fisher said of Pryse.
Detective Fisher said he was “frightened” by the fact Pryse had lived on and off with his girlfriend and her twin boys since the start of the year.
He said Pryse had only told the woman “half the story” in regards to his offending.
“He told her he revealed himself to a young girl when he was drunk,” he said.
The reality, Magistrate Jennifer Tregent said, was much more concerning.
“He rubbed and licked the vagina of a child who was six,” she said.
“He fondled the penis of the seven-year-old victim.”
Ms Tregent said Pryse had also abused the trust of his partner.
“It concerns me greatly he isn’t telling police about living with his partner and her children who are exactly the same age as his past victims.
“I am concerned with protective issues in relation to the children.
“I am going to deny bail.”
Pryse was remanded to appear in the Bendigo Magistrates Court on May 30.