A serial child rapist at the centre of controversy over failings within South Australia’s legal system is once again behind bars, but a victim has hit out at the sentence that will see the abuser walk free in little more than a year.

The offender was handed a two-year sentence by the ACT Supreme Court for the rape of then-12-year-old Mike Worsman, but after 16 months he’ll be allowed to be released on an 18-month good behaviour bond.

“That’s not justice,” Worsman said.

“The pain that’s been inflicted on me and my family over the last six years is far greater than the peace that we’ll get from this person being behind bars for a mere 16 months.”

Worsman had been fighting to keep the offender in custody after he finished a five-year prison sentence in South Australia two weeks ago for raping another young child.

Instead, the predator was able to fly solo to Canberra for a court date a day later. 

He then walked free on bail awaiting today’s sentencing, but in that time he was charged with harassment over a text message he sent Worsman.

“What I’ve experienced over the last two weeks has been an absolute disregard as a victim, bordering on contempt,” Worsman said.

While he said he feels let down by the legal system today, he said he won’t give up on other victims, and is now hoping to advocate for those who don’t yet have the courage to come forward with their own stories

“For me it’s all about reform,” he said.

“It’s about making sure there’s a victim voice, it’s about making sure there are mandated sentences to protect victims coming forward, it’s about saying, ‘OK, what’s the innocence of a child worth?'”