Paolo Joselito Sabile claims he had a ‘good reason’ for possessing child exploitation material

A 34-year-old man has been sentenced in the District Court for possessing child exploitation material claiming he had a “good reason” for his offending.

A man has claimed he had ‘good reason’ to possess and access child exploitation, a court has heard.

Paolo Joselito Sabile, 34, appeared in the District Court on February 12 where he was sentenced after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of child exploitation material and possession of child exploitation material.

Judge Michael Durrant said during Sabile’s arrest in March 2022 he told police he had a good reason for the offending.

“You told them you would admit to that offending and that you had a good reason for engaging in that offending,” he said.

“You admitted the download of child exploitation material and said it was the only way you could deal with your trauma and schizophrenia which you attributed to your father being a strict disciplinarian.

“You told police viewing child exploitation material was one of the two ways you could manage your trauma, suicide being the other.”

The man was sentenced in the District Court on February 12. Picture: Roger Wyman

Judge Durrant said Sabile took the police officers into his bedroom where they seized two laptops – one of which was open on the bed – and a phone.

“You admitted your pornography began with viewing adults and that it progressed to viewing young children,” he said.

“You said viewing seven-year-olds was the youngest you could tolerate.”

Judge Durrant said a total of 365 images and videos on a Asus Vivo laptop, which constituted child exploitation material, were found in his bedroom.

“The overwhelming majority of the children depicted were under 14 years of age,” he said.

Judge Durrant said he took Sabile’s personal circumstances into consideration while sentencing him.

“You suffered physical violence throughout your childhood, primarily at the hands of your father,” he said.

“You achieved an ATAR of 96 and were offered a place to study aerospace engineering at the University of Adelaide. Due to a lack of funds you never commenced that study.

“Dr Young thinks you meet the diagnostic criteria for autism … Dr Frust is not convinced you suffer from autism. He attributed your behaviour to someone who has experienced childhood trauma and has subsequent personality issues overlaid with schizophrenia.”

Judge Durrant sentenced Sabile to one year, 10 months and 25 days imprisonment with a non-parole period of 11 months and 12 days.