Tyson Martino was jailed in the Adelaide District Court for multiple child exploitation offences

A once aspiring teacher sent graphic photos to a 14-year-old girl and traded serious child exploitation material online but says he doesn’t have an interest in children.

A man blames his meth addiction for his abhorrent crimes, while still denying he has a sexual interest in children.

Tyson Martino, 25, was jailed in the Adelaide District Court this week for multiple offences, including attempting to meet up with a 14-year-old girl.

The court heard Martino began communicating with an undercover police officer posing as a person interested in young girls in February 2018.

“The profile of your email account stated ‘I’m 21 I like girls and boys a few years younger – 13 and up’,” Judge Ian Press said during sentencing.

The court heard Martino sent the undercover police officer child exploitation material and requested something in return.

“Exploiting children by possessing child exploitation material for sexual gratification is of itself serious offending,” Judge Press said.

“Exploiting children by treating them as a commodity to be traded at will is considerably worse.”

The court heard the undercover officer was also posing as a 14-year-old girl, who Martino communicated with and sent her a graphic photo of himself.

“You also requested and encouraged sexually explicit photographs to be sent to you in return,” Judge Press said.

Martino also made plans to meet the undercover police officer at Tea Tree Plaza.

He was arrested and his phone was seized.

“The phone contained 30 images and eight videos depicting child exploitation material of which two of the videos involved children under 14 years of age,” Judge Press said.

Tyson Martino was jailed in the Adelaide District Court this week. Picture: Facebook

Martino, of Taperoo, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including possessing and disseminating child exploitation material and communicating with a child for a prurient purpose.

The court heard Martino was previously studying a bachelor of teaching at University but withdrew due to his drug issues.

“You now accept you will not be able to work as a teacher due to your offending,” Judge Press said.

The court heard Martino became homeless in 2018 and his methamphetamine use increased, which he said led to his offending.

“I accept that your use of methylamphetamine may well have clouded your judgement … and made you more likely to act on certain sexual impulses but I do not accept that methylamphetamine is the primary cause of your offending,” Judge Press said.

The court heard Martino had said he did not have any sexual interest in children.

“Your willingness to trade in child exploitation material, the communications with the undercover police officer and the amount of child exploitation material in your possession are only consistent with such an interest,” Judge Press said.

“That you are yet to confront those interests suggests your rehabilitation may be some way off.”

Judge Press sentenced Martino to two years and 10 months jail, with non-parole period of one year and 10 months.

The sentence was backdated to December 17.