CHILD sex offender, rapist and former Labor Party MP Bill D'Arcy was released from prison last night.
D'Arcy, 68, has been an inmate of Brisbane's Wolston Correctional Centre, at Wacol on Brisbane's southwestern outskirts, since his conviction in 2000.
He did not complete a required sex offenders program because he had consistently claimed he was innocent of the crimes for which he was jailed.
He was released under a series of conditions including no unsupervised access to children under the age of 16; no access to schools or childcare centres and that neither he nor any member of his family make a profit from selling his story.
"The prisoner shall report any personal relationship with anyone who has the care, custody or guardianship of a child to the probation and parole officer at the commencement of the relationship," the statement of conditions said.
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D'Arcy resigned from Parliament in January 2000. Later that year, he was convicted on the first of 22 counts alleging sex abuse of primary school children, which began when he was the sole teacher at small country schools in the 1960s and '70s.
The state prosecuted him three times and he was sentenced to a total of 11 years' jail.
This was D'Arcy's second attempt to obtain parole. He applied in July last year but was refused on the grounds that he was still too much of a risk.
In March this year he challenged that ruling and five Labor Party figures supported his bid.
Desley Scott, who worked in D'Arcy's electoral office before taking his old seat of Woodridge, wrote to the parole board: "I . . . write to Bill keeping him informed about friends who wish to be remembered . . ."
Others who remained loyal to D'Arcy included former state and federal members Don Livingstone, Ken Vaughan, Bill Prest and the late Len Keogh.
Prisoners usually are eligible for parole after completing half their sentence. D'Arcy became eligible on May 1, last year.
His second, successful, parole application was lodged in July and granted yesterday.
Sources said D'Arcy was collected by car from the prison around 5.30pm. His wife Lois has remained steadfastly loyal to him throughout the scandal.
"The board considered a range of factors in reaching its decision, including the fact that the offences had occurred approximately 35 to 46 years ago and there was no evidence that he had offended previously or reoffended," a statement from the Corrective Services Department last night said.
"His accommodation has been assessed as suitable. There are no children living in the house."