Bill Evans, a well-known Australian swim teacher in Cairns, pleaded guilty last month to eight child sex offenses, but avoided jail time and was sentenced to community service and two years’ probation.
Now, his sentencing is being appealed by the Queensland Attorney-General, Deb Frecklington, who issued a statement on Tuesday saying she considers “the sentence handed down to be manifestly inadequate.”
Evans, 51, is the former owner of CMe Swim at Edge Hill, a swim school in Cairns.
In September, he pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecently dealing with a person of impaired, committed over a three-to-four-month period at the swim school, and one count of using telecommunications to attempt to procure a 13-year-old girl online for sex acts, which he committed while on bail, according to The Cairns Post.
In the latter charge, Evans was communicating with a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl, the court was told. When he was arrested on the new charge, his bail was revoked and he spent 79 days in custody waiting to be sentenced, The Cairns Post reports.
Evans’ sentence of 80 hours of community service and two years of probation was met with backlash from the Cairns community, leading Frecklington to step in this week. The case will be heard by three judges at the Queensland Court of Appeal later this year.
Visiting Brisbane Judge David Kent KC, who sentenced Evans, said he was “impressed” by references given to the court on Evans’ behalf and said the offenses appeared to be an “aberration.”
You can read the full statement from Frecklington below:
“I have instructed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to lodge an appeal against a sentence handed down in the Cairns District Court.
“On 25 September 2025, William Clyde Evans was convicted of eight child related sexual offences, which included an offence committed whilst on bail.
“I consider the sentence handed down to be manifestly inadequate.
“My thoughts are with the victim and her family during this difficult time.
“A Notice of Appeal will be lodged with the Court of Appeal registry on my behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
The CMe Swim School website specifically mentions on its homepage that Evans has not been in a teaching role since February 2024.
“William Evans has had no role in teaching since February 2024 is no longer an owner of the business,” the website says. “We remain Committed to providing Safe, supportive, and positive learning environment for all students and families.”
🤮 appalling in every aspect. We the public deserve better. Judge Kent, take a hard look at yourself and give yourself and uppercut 👎.
I don’t understand how this is possible
Judge David Kent KC should get a year in jail for handing out that that sentence. If the 13 year old girl had been his daughter, you can bet he would have given Evans more than just 80 hrs community service and a couple of years probation.
Too true. I am constantly challenged by judges’ sentencing every day here in Australia, what the hell are these judges scared of?
The community pays them to do a job and they constantly let us down, if it were me letting my boss down like this every day I would be terminated quick smart.
Out on bail and still procuring a 13 yr old…….🤔 hmmmm, no reference is saving your backside if I am sentencing.
Judge Kent, the community deserves better from you.