Convicted child rapist caught peeping into Sydney family homes

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A convicted child rapist will serve another stint in prison after breaching his supervision order and peeping into family homes in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Roger David Cheney was caught on three occasions looking through the windows of homes and prying in Pagewood in January.

The 67-year-old has been jailed for at least 18 months after he pleaded guilty to charges of peeping and prying, entering lands without permission, stalking and intimidation, and breaching a supervision order.

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Magistrate Julie Huber on Tuesday described Cheney’s crimes as in the mid-range in terms of seriousness.

She handed the former Wagga Wagga resident a two-month sentence for each of his three peep and pry charges, which had been exhausted after they were backdated to January 19 to when he was arrested and remanded in custody.

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To suggestions the offences were opportunistic given he happened to be in the area, Huber said he was observed personally and through CCTV peering into the homes.

“It was your hope that it would have not been an adult, but a child,” she said in Downing Centre Local Court.

The magistrate handed Cheney a two-year jail term for breaching his community supervision order, with a non-parole period of 18 months.

“In regards to the nature of the offences, I have to have regard to the high risk of you reoffending … and the only appropriate outcome would be time in prison,” Huber said.

Once his prison term expires, Cheney will be subject to a three-year community corrections order for his stalking and intimidation charge.

Lawyers for Cheney told the local court he had parked an e-bike outside one of the homes because there was a dog park nearby and he wanted to take his dog for a walk.

“It was opportunistic before it developed into premeditated,” his lawyer said.

Police prosecutor Joseph Kemp disagreed, referring to the fact he went back to some premises multiple times.

He urged the magistrate to consider the community’s protection and the families who have the right to feel safe in their own home.

“(Cheney) told a psychologist that he just wanted to look into the house,” the prosecutor said.

“Obviously to see a child.”

Cheney was previously jailed for 27 years over crimes including abducting two young girls from their NSW north coast beds in 1993, assaulting and raping a woman in a park, and the attempted sexual assault of a woman.

As his jail term expired in 2020, the NSW government unsuccessfully attempted to appeal to the courts to extend his term behind bars, citing concerns over community safety.

Cheney will be eligible for parole in July 2024, given his 18-month non-parole period will be backdated to January.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.