Crim had keys to kids' rooms
CONVICTED sex offender Kenneth Roy Lang was working at a Port Douglas youth hostel and had keys to rooms where children stayed, it emerged yesterday.
A guest at the YHA-affiliated Port o’ Call hostel recognised Lang from yesterday's report in The Cairns Post.
The woman, who did not want to be identified, said Lang had worked at the hostel as a cleaner during her recent stay.
On Wednesday, Lang was convicted of transmitting child pornography on his mobile phone. He also was convicted in 1992 of sexually penetrating a child.
The hostel guest was shocked to think that a sex offender could be working in a place where school groups of 10 to 12-year-old children often stayed.
"I'm sure the parents of those children would not be incredibly happy if they knew what he'd done," she said.
She described Lang as talkative and friendly, particularly to young girls staying at the hostel.
"His opening line was to ask people if they wanted to come on to his boat."
Port o' Call management yesterday issued a repeated "no comment" to queries about Lang's employment at their Port St premises.
A second Port o' Call guest confirmed that Lang worked at the hostel.
"We spent time at the youth hostel for a few weeks and that picture was definitely him," the woman said.
"We knew he was called Ken and the picture on the front page was very clear."
She also said she was shocked to realise a convicted sex offender had access to young people's rooms.
"He's got keys to the rooms," she said.
The shocked woman said: "We shared the newspaper with somebody who works there and they knew it was him.
"They were quite easygoing and dismissive about it.
"They said, 'Oh yeah, we knew about that - he's worked here year after year’."
Lang's yacht The Screamer was seen leaving its Dickson Inlet mooring and heading out of Port Douglas yesterday.
Lang's sentencing conditions require him to provide a DNA sample to the Australian Federal Police next week.
It is understood the AFP is aware of his current location.
Lang's details are expected to be added to a national sex offender register in coming weeks.
Queensland Police said Lang had up to 28 days to provide his details.
Share this article
Worked at a youth hostel: Kenneth Roy Lang outside court yesterday.
New Jetstar flights between Cairns and Osaka
THE re-introduction of Jetstar's four weekly direct services to Osaka in Japan and a doubling of flights to Melbourne from April 1 next year are the first significant announcements today by the airline as the result of a new agreement with Cairns Airport.
Kate earns National Pride Medal
INSPIRING young leader and cancer survivor Kate Smith could hardly believe she won a national Pride of Australia medal last night.
Escapee back in custody
BREAKING NEWS: Police have found a man who escaped from police custody at Ravenshoe on Sunday night.
Woman watched boyfriend bash, strip tourist
THE girlfriend of a man accused of raping and attempting to rape two foreign tourists at a Cairns caravan park says she watched him bash and strip one of them then chase after her.
