Accomplice to Families SA carer’s disgusting website is ‘vulnerable’ to perversion and jailhouse assaults, SA court told

AN accomplice of paedophile Shannon McCoole was “vulnerable” to using child sex material due to his autism spectrum disorder, lawyers claim — prompting a judge to warn they are “on thin ice”.

David Glen Cecchin outside the District Court last year, prior to his bail being revoked.

AN accomplice of evil paedophile Shannon McCoole is “vulnerable” — both to using child sex material and being assaulted in prison — due to his autism spectrum disorder, a court has heard.

On Wednesday, lawyers for David Glen Cecchin said those were reasons enough for the District Court to show mercy when sentencing him for his role in McCoole’s perverse website.

Judge Rosemary Davey warned counsel they were “on thin ice” with that suggestion.

“Not everyone who has an autism spectrum disorder is interested in child pornography,” she said.

“I’ve no difficulty accepting he's a vulnerable person, unfortunately the same can be said for 50 per cent of people I sentence.

“If you’re going to say his circumstances are so exceptional that I should reduce his sentence, you are on thin ice legally, and thin ice factually.”

Last year Cecchin, 28, of Flagstaff Hill, pleaded guilty to possessing, disseminating and producing child pornography.

He admitted he was a user of, and contributor to, McCoole’s porn ring — the former Families SA carer is serving a 35-year jail term.

Cecchin then said he wanted to withdraw his admission to the dissemination charge, giving sworn evidence that he had “misunderstood” the allegations.

In his evidence, however, he confessed to new criminal acts, admitted writing a letter defending child exploitation material and complained about conditions in prison.

Prosecutors filed new charges against Cecchin, who claimed to no longer remember his computer passwords and offered to unlock his machines via “muscle memory”.

On Wednesday, prosecutors agreed Cecchin should be allowed to withdraw the plea and, once had done so, dropped the dissemination charge.

In exchange, Cecchin pleaded guilty to two aggravated counts of possessing, and two aggravated counts of disseminating, child exploitation material.

He also pleaded guilty to one aggravated count of obtaining access to child pornography.

Ben Sale, for Cecchin, said doctors had confirmed his client’s position on the autism spectrum and said it had contributed to his offending.

He said Cecchin was easily groomed by other members of the website, and “especially vulnerable” to suggestions he provide and share child pornography.

Mr Sale asked for leniency, saying his client had been attacked since his bail was revoked and he was taken into custody last year, when Judge Davey ruled he had lied in his evidence.

“If it was manipulation, then it was incredibly naive and incredibly unsuccessful,” he said.

Judge Davey disagreed.

“I wouldn’t say it’s that naive ... there’s been a lot of different versions (of the offending) given by your client,” she said.

“My preliminary view is that he has sought to manipulate (the court), but there was also a naivety about that.”

She remanded Cecchin in custody to a date to be set.

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