BRISBANE, Queensland, Sept. 29 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity

The Honourable Deb Frecklington

I have instructed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to lodge an appeal against a sentence handed down in Toowoomba District Court.

On August 28, Joseph Lee Smith was convicted of more than 100 child sexual offences, occurring over a period of 18 months, including making child exploitation material and intercourse with a child under the age of 16.

The court imposed an overall sentence of eight-and-a-half years imprisonment with immediate parole eligibility.

I consider the sentence handed down to ...