Plea-bargain setback for serial pedophile

One of Australia’s worst serial pedophiles has had a setback in his plea-bargain over 66 new child sex offences.

Dennis McKenna, 67, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court via video link from Acacia Prison on Thursday, where his case was remanded until July 17.

He is already serving six years in jail for abusing six boys aged 13 to 15 while he was a warden at St Andrew’s Hostel in the West Australian wheatbelt town of Katanning in the 1970s and `80s.

McKenna was previously jailed for six years in 1991 for similar offences.

His latest charges relate to 16 new alleged victims.

At his last court appearance on May 24, McKenna’s lawyer Andrew Maughan said he was trying to reach a plea-bargain with prosecutors on behalf of his client.

However, Mr Maughan is believed to have recently been appointed a magistrate and can no longer represent McKenna.

On Thursday, lawyer Patti Chong addressed chief magistrate Steven Heath on McKenna’s behalf as a “friend of the court”, saying the accused man needed time to find a new lawyer.

Ms Chong had applied to represent McKenna, as per his wishes, but Legal Aid had declined to transfer his case to her for reasons not explained to the court.

Magistrate Heath held the case over for mention on July 17.

McKenna is one of the nation’s most notorious serial pedophiles, having been charged repeatedly for child sex offences after a 15-year reign of terror at the state-run St Andrew’s Hostel.

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