Former Mission Beach barista Khalil Sheriar Moroney convicted again on child abuse material charges

A former barista has been sentenced in Cairns District Court for viewing child abuse material just months after receiving a suspended sentence for accessing child abuse material.

Khalil Sheriar Moroney was already serving a month into a suspended prison sentence when he downloaded other child abuse material.

A convicted sex offender has been sentenced in Cairns District Court for viewing child abuse material just months after receiving a suspended sentence for accessing child abuse material.

Khalil Sheriar Moroney (pictured), 45, was accused of four counts of using a carriage service to access child abuse material and two counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material through a carriage service.

On March 31, 2022, Moroney was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment for possessing 6122 child abuse images.

The sentence was suspended after serving four months.

It was while serving his suspended sentence that he was again caught with child abuse material.

This time he was found to have downloaded 43 child abuse videos and 237 child abuse material images which included children as young as five being abused.

Computer and phone evidence showed the new offending started just weeks after receiving his suspended sentence.

The court heard his internet search histories showed he had conducted search phrases “designed to elicit child abuse material” and used a hidden network designed to hide his searches.

The court further heard he also initially lied to investigators, before later conceding to investigators he had viewed the new material and when asked whether he found it arousing he said “sometimes it was”.

In sentencing Judge Joshua Trevino KC said it was concerning that the March prison sentence acted as “no deterrence” to him continuing the conduct and that he promised to take steps to address his offending behaviour by getting psychological support but obviously hadn’t.

Judge Trevino added that while the former Mission Beach barista had been in custody since December 4, 2022 he had not “undertaken any courses” to assist with his rehabilitation.

Mr Moroney stood stooped, eyes cast downward with hands clasped over his stomach, as the judge calmly said “there is nothing in your childhood that can be used to explain your behaviour - you yourself describe it as uneventful”.

“This was not a victimless crime. Real children are abused to create the child abuse material.” the judge said, describing the material as “abhorrent”.

Mr Moroney closed his eyes as the sentence was read out.

Judge Trevino handed down a five year jail sentence.

He will be eligible for parole on December 4, 2024.

Originally published as Former Mission Beach barista Khalil Sheriar Moroney convicted again on child abuse material charges