Registered sex offender Barry Dettman on run in Victoria
Photo: Victoria PoliceA "high risk" Victorian sex offender is on the run after twice flouting court orders to report his whereabouts.
Victoria Police on Friday appealed to the public to help capture Barry Dettman, 51, who was convicted in 2017 of indecent acts in the presence of a child, and who has a "long criminal history" of violence, dishonesty and drug use.
It's not the first time Dettman has evaded police.
In April last year, the registered sex offender, who only had weeks left on his sentence, escaped Langi Kal Kal Prison in Trawalla, north-west of Ballarat.
He was arrested a few days later in Werribee after a major police hunt.
"He's a high-risk offender and we're keen to bring him back into custody and have him fronted back before a court," Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson told reporters.
Dettman was released from prison in December after serving time for other offences, but failed to report to police as required in early January before being arrested.
After serving more time in custody he was again released and failed to report.
Police have been hunting him since the day after his mid-January release when he again failed to update his whereabouts, and narrowly missed him following a reported sighting in the Werribee area on February 9.
"It's quite clear from Mr Dettman, in terms of his last breach, that he has no intention of complying with his obligations ... and that gives us considerable reason for concern," Mr Paterson said.
"We are asking the public that if they know his whereabouts or see him, that they not approach him, but call triple zero."
Dettman, who suffers from schizophrenia, is described as slim, 175 centimetres tall with short grey hair and distinctive arm tattoos.
He is known to frequent the Bendigo and Werribee areas.
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