Stage 5: After court

After an offender is sentenced

After an offender is sentenced, you may feel a range of emotions, such as relief, anger or sadness. You may or may not feel a sense of closure. It is important to remember that you can still access support to help you recover, even years after the offence. You can also apply for financial assistance with Victim Assist Queensland after the sentence too.

After the sentence, your DPP Victim Liaison Officer or investigating officer should give you details about the offender’s sentence. This is one of your rights under the Charter of Victims’ Rights.

This information is written for adult victims of sexual violence where the offender was also an adult.

Different processes for receiving information apply to victims if the offender is under 18 years of age, or if the offender has been dealt with under the Mental Health Act 2016. Your victim liaison officer, investigating officer or support service will be able to tell you if this applies to you.

Queensland Corrective Services (who run adult prisons and manage adult offenders in Queensland) manage a contact list called the victims register. You need to apply to be on the victims register – it does not happen automatically after the court process.

You can apply to be on the victims register if the offender is sentenced to a period of imprisonment and:

• you are the victim of the violent or sexual offence; or
• your life or physical safety could be in danger because you are connected to the violent offence the offender is serving a period of imprisonment for; or
• your life or physical safety could be in danger because the offender has a history of domestic (or other) violence against you; or
• you are at risk of domestic and family violence from the offender; or
• the victim of the sexual offence has impaired capacity and you are their guardian.

If your application to be on the victims register is accepted, Queensland Corrective Services will provide you with information about the offender’s sentence and you will continue to receive updates about the offender you are registered against.

The information the victims register team may give you about the offender includes:

• what prison the offender is located in
• the earliest date the offender is able to be released to parole
• if the offender applies for parole (if this happens you will be given the option to make a submission to the parole board who consider applications for parole)
• if the offender is granted parole
• the actual date the offender will be released to parole (if parole is granted)
• some details of the offender’s parole order (if parole is granted)
• the date the offender’s sentence ends
• if the offender escapes from prison or dies
• if the offender changes their legally registered name or alters their sex
• the offender’s general location in the community (if parole is granted)
• if the offender has been deported or removed from Australia.