Robert Hughes: who is Australian actor from Hey Dad! why was he in jail, why is he being deported to the UK?

Actor and convicted child sex offender Robert Hughes will be deported from Australia to the UK.

The 73-year-old will be deported to the UK following his release from a correctional facility, as he is a non-lawful citizen in Australia.

He renounced his Australian citizenship in 2020.

But who is he and what was he jailed for and when will he be released from prison?

Who is Robert Hughes?

Also known as Bob Hughes or Robert Hughs he is an Australian former actor and musician.

He was known for his roles in films such as ABBA: The movie and for his portrayal of Martin Kelly in the sitcom Hey Dad! which ran from 1987 to 1994.

Hughes also appeared in the film First Daughter and the TV show A Country Practice.

What was he jailed for?

Hughes was imprisoned in 2014.

He had after been found guilty of 10 sexual and indecent assault offences of four young girls committed between 1984 and 1990.

Police arrested him in London in 2012 and the New South Wales government sought his extradition.

After being found guilty of the offences Hughes was sentenced to 10 years and nine moths with a minimum period of six years.

Trial judge Peter Zahra had said Hughes “exploited the naivete” of the girls, and used his position of authority to “ensure their compliance”.

He was sent to the Goulburn Correctional Centre where inmates doused him in faeces and urine when he arrived.

An appeal in 2015 against his conviction was unsuccessful as was one in 2017.

Why is he being deported to the UK?

Hughes was born in Sydney but had dual UK and Australian citizenship.

While serving his sentence he had requested an international prisoner transfer to the UK, but later withdrew the application.

He then went on to renounce his Australian citizenship in 2020 which meant he would be deported to the UK either when granted parole or on the completion of his sentence.

Hughes was refused parole in 2020 as if he was to be deported he would not have been under supervision and it was said without this he presented an “unacceptable risk to community safety”.

The New South Wales state parole authority granted him parole on June 2 and determined he be released no later than Tuesday June 14.

What have the authorities said about him being released?

The BBC reports UK authorities, who have been informed of his impending release and deportation, have also since confirmed he will be monitored.

Meanwhile, the New South Wales state parole authority said it had accepted evidence Hughes had consistently been assessed as a below average risk of sexually reoffending.

It said that, although Hughes denies the offences, the assessment prevents him from accessing sex offender treatment programmes while he remains in custody.

“Hughes and wife had given undertakings that once back in the community Hughes would seek treatment with a clinical psychologist specialising in convicted sex offenders who deny their crimes, to assist with his reintegration and reduce his risk of reoffending,” it added.

The parole authority chairperson, David Frearson SC, said the authority acknowledged the “profound and deleterious effects on the victims… continue to this day and will probably be lifelong consequences”.

“It must be particularly galling for the victims to observe the offender’s continued and obstinate denials in the face of compelling and overwhelming evidence from multiple witnesses,” he added.