Townsville District Court: Former Burdekin football coach, Jason Paul Williams sentenced for vile filming

While working in a Qld small community, a father betrayed people who trusted him by setting up a mobile in secret and filming kids to make child exploitation material to distribute to others.

Townsville District Court: Former Burdekin football coach, Jason Paul Williams sentenced for vile filming of children.

While working in a small community, the former sports coach and father betrayed people who trusted him by setting up a mobile in secret and filming kids to make child exploitation material to distribute to others.

Jason Paul Williams’ voice broke when he said he was pleading guilty to the range of vile child sexual offences, standing in the dock at Townsville District Court on Thursday.

The 50-year-old, while he shed tears throughout his sentence, offended against multiple people, mostly minors, who were known to him over a long period of time.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Butler said the former Burdekin sports coach filmed three children in February 2021, and once again in March 2023 using a hidden mobile phone.

Between June and July 2023 Williams used an online application to photoshop the heads of three young girls who were all known to him onto pornographic images of adult naked women – in total he created 12 images on seven different dates, the crown said.

The offender used an app to talk to unknown users and share child abuse material, with one conversation involving a “sexualized fantasy” about a fictional 15-year-old girl being penetrated, and during that conversation Williams sent a video of himself masturbating to the user, Ms Butler told the court.

She also said Williams used the app to send the photo shopped images he created of the children he knew.

“That is a particular breach of trust,” Ms Butler told the court.

“To create the child exploitation material but to have distributed those images of the young girls known to him.”

In other disturbing incidents, Williams took an up skirt photo of an adult woman and separately, used an app to speak to a 13-year-old girl online asking her if she knew how to make herself orgasm yet, the court was told.

“He became a member of the group ‘Tiny shares’ that posted child exploitation material and videos that could be viewed by its members,” Ms Butler said.

‘Hurt, betrayal and overwhelming sadness’ - parent statement

The prosecution read aloud a victim impact statement submitted by a parent involved which detailed the “immeasurable” impact Williams’ offences have had on them.

“No combination of words can express the emotional turmoil that we have endured,” it read.

“I must acknowledge the hurt, betrayal and overwhelming sadness the offender has inflicted.

“Some of the victims remain unaware of the crimes committed against them… How could anyone comprehend such an atrocity when their mind is still developing.”

The statement said Williams used his own “misguided beliefs” to violate the personal space of others.

“And in doing so, he has stolen the innocence of children, an open wound we will carry for life.”

When police searched the man’s home he made full admissions to his offending and cooperated with police, the prosecution said.

Defence barrister Ross Malcomson instructed by Rennick Lawyers said he acknowledged from the outset the “significance” of the offending.

He said the man was supported by his partner of 26 years, and he intended to live with her when he was released from jail, ensuring to still abide by the restrictions that the child protection offender reporting regime may include.

Mr Malcomson said the man who spent most of his life in the Burdekin area worked as a farm hand and train driver and has two adult kids of his own.

“His disgust in his own conduct is reflective of him being a father,” he said.

“What is obvious from the admissions made to police is issues he’s had with the use of drugs at the time of the offences, he in no way wishes for me to excuse his conduct but it was present.”

Williams’ lawyer noted he had the support of his father and brother at the back of court; however they made it clear they were “disgusted” in the behaviour.

‘Those images are in the cloud forever’ - Judge Coker

Judge John Coker told Williams he should be “thankful” for the support he has even after bringing “embarrassment and shame” to his family.

He emphasized that most of his offending was directed at the community’s “most vulnerable” being children.

“It was not sophisticated but it was deceitful and devious,” His Honour said.

“Those images are in the cloud forever, they can come back to haunt these children for the whole of their lives.”

Williams pleaded guilty to making child exploitation material, distributing and possessing child exploitation material, unlawful recording and using an electronic device to procure a child into a sexual act.

He was sentenced to four and a half years jail, suspended for an operational period of five years and given probation of two years. His Honour declared the 552 days Williams spent in pre-sentence custody as time already served, therefore Williams will return to the community immediately.

Originally published as Townsville District Court: Former Burdekin football coach, Jason Paul Williams sentenced for vile filming