James David Ryan Sharp imported a child-like sex doll, Mount Gambier court hears

A psychological assessment will be completed before the first South Australian arrested for possessing a child-like sex doll can be sentenced for multiple child abuse material sex offences.

A child-like sex doll, school uniforms, underwear and child abuse material were among the discoveries uncovered in a raid on a South East man’s home, police allege.

James David Ryan Sharp – the first South Australian arrested under new Commonwealth laws last year – has admitted to a string of child abuse material offences.

He faced the Mount Gambier District Court on Tuesday after entering guilty pleas to all major indictable offences in the Mount Gambier Magistrate Court in December.

James David Ryan Sharp – the first South Australian to be charged with possessing a child-like sex doll – appeared at the Mount Gambier District Court on Tuesday. Picture: Jessica Ball

Sharp’s defence lawyer Nick Healy asked for the matter to be held to the October circuit while a psychological assessment was completed.

In a previous hearing, the court heard the man in his 30s was forced to relocate to Victoria after heavy media attention at the time of his arrest led to death threats.

Sharp was arrested in January 2020 after purchasing the doll from a consignor in China in December 2018, using a PayPal account and now faces a maximum 15 years in prison for possessing the doll.

A 30 year old South Australian man’s been arrested after allegedly purchasing a child-like sex doll, as well as children’s clothing including school uniforms, online #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/lGL72IZb7k

— Lauren Rose (@laurenrose7) January 15, 2020

Sharp was arrested by officers from SA’s Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Taskforce (JACET) after New South Wales Police and AUSTRAC, the financial intelligence and regulation agency, sent information to local police.

The man’s house was raided and the doll, computer, phone and bank card were seized with police alleging child exploitation material was found on the computer.

The man is also accused of buying children‘s clothing including school uniforms and underwear, online.

At the time of his arrest AFP South Australia Acting Commander Gail McClure said the dolls objectified children and desensitised their users.

The first man in South Australia to be arrested for possessing a child-like sex doll was escorted to a waiting police car in January 2020. Picture: AFP

“Some dolls are even robotic and designed to respond positively to the abuse,” she said.

“The Australian Federal Police does not condone any form of child exploitation, or activity of any kind that reinforces the sexualisation of children.”

“This includes sexual gratification activity using items depicting children – these anatomically correct dolls are legally considered child exploitation material.”