Port Lincoln man charged with possessing, disseminating child exploitation materials, make person sexually manipulate offender

An Eyre Peninsula man in his 20s claimed he had no attraction to children and was trying to gain the affection of an online lover when he facilitated the creation of child exploitation material.

An Eyre Peninsula man in his 20s manipulated a child into making pornographic material to gain the affection of a woman he met over social media, a court has heard.

The Port Lincoln man pleaded guilty in the Port Augusta District Court to possession and dissemination of child exploitation material and making a person sexually manipulate an offender.

The court heard the man had no sexual interest in children and made the child take explicit photographs to send to his online companion.

Ms Hennigs, for the prosecution, highlighted the victim being under 14-years-old at the time and “steps taken” in the production of child exploitation material as supporting factors for their recommendation.

Ms Hennigs said the nature of the offending was “too serious” for the man to receive anything other than a prison sentence.

The Port Lincoln man took sexually explicit photos of a child under the age of 14. Picture: File

The man’s duty solicitor, Sally Burgess, said the predator met a woman on social media and chatted with her online for a few months before being asked to facilitate the explicit pornography.

Ms Burgess made a case for his rehabilitation outside of prison and said he was “aware of the wrongfulness of his actions.”

“His fear of losing connection compelled him to continue to speak to the woman,” she said.

“A period of immediate imprisonment seems draconian.”

The man has no previous criminal history and has spent the last eight months on home detention bail.

Ms Burgess said the charges related to two photographs, categorised at the “lower end of the scale.”

“He has suffered throughout his life with a fear of abandonment linked to not knowing his father from a young age.

“He is not someone with a sexual interest in children, he’s a young man who’s made a grave error.”

A psychiatric report for the defendant was read to the court and indicated they met the criteria for borderline personality disorder.

In response to defence submissions, Ms Hennigs said the only appropriate penalty for the case was an “immediate term of imprisonment.”

She said the defending involved a “serious breach of trust.”

“Consideration needs to given to the damage done to the child depicted in the images and the consequences for producing the material,” she said.

“Even if the defendant didn’t do so for his own personal sexual gratification, by virtue of producing and disseminating child exploitation material the defendant is ultimately supporting and contributing to this trade.”

The Port Lincoln man will be sentenced later this month.