Bilal Skaf

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Bilal Skaf, jailed for leading gang rapes in Sydney in 2000.

Bilal Skaf (Arabic: بلال سكاف) (born 14 September 1981]] is a serial gang rapist. He led groups of Lebanese Australian men who committed three of several gang rape attacks against young white women in Sydney in 2000, described by some as hate crimes.

For the crimes Bilal Skaf is serving a 31-year prison sentence, and will be eligible for parole in 2033. (He was originally sentenced to 55-years with a 40-year non-parole period, but that was modified several times upon appeal -- see below.) He commenced his sentence in Sydney's Long Bay Correctional Centre, but was soon moved to maximum security in Goulburn Gaol after prison wardens uncovered plans by fellow inmates to inject him with HIV infected blood.

He is the brother of Mohammed Skaf, also a gang rape attacker serving 32 years jail for his part in the attacks. Bilal and Mohammed are the sons of Mustapha Skaf and Baria Skaf who immigrated to Australia from Lebanon.

Mustapha worked for State Rail in Sydney, gaining a good reputation among his colleagues. It was through his father's reputation that Skaf also found work for State Rail despite having left school at age 14 and gaining convictions for shoplifting and theft.

Skaf was engaged at the time of his arrest but although his fiancée stood by him during his trial, she ended their engagement soon after his conviction. Skaf's response was to sketch cartoons depicting his former fiancée being raped and murdered. Since he was first charged in November 2000, Skaf has remained unrepentant. During his trial he claimed he was involved only in cases of consensual sex, laughed when his verdict was read and swore at the judge when he received his sentence.

In jail he has made threats to commit acts of terrorism and was also responsible for a terrorist hoax in which a white powder laced letter to the NSW Corrective Services Commissioner Ron Woodham.

On September 16, 2005, the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal reduced Skaf's 55 year sentence to a maximum of 28 years, with parole available after 22 years. The NSW Attorney-General Bob Debus, decided that the government would seek leave for an appeal to the High Court of Australia against the sentence reduction. An earlier appeal had already reduced his sentence to 46 years, after a successful appeal against one of his convictions.

On February 3, 2006 the High Court refused leave to appeal, arguing that the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal had been left with no choice because of the many errors by the trial judge in sentencing Skaf to 46 years. That meant Skaf could be freed at the age of 41 in 2023.

A further appeal led to a 31-year sentence being imposed. Bilal Skaf will now be eligible for release on February 11, 2033.