Corey Johnston, son of Oakden whistleblower Stuart Johnston, sentenced for possessing child abuse material

The son of the Oakden nursing home whistleblower has been sentenced for child abuse crimes.

Oakden abuse scandal whistleblower Stewart Johnston (left) and his son Corey Johnston leave court after they each appeared on a charge of knowingly to be in possession of child exploitation material. Picture: Supplied

A young man who was busted with child exploitation material after police searched his father’s property has been handed a suspended sentence.

In the South Australian District Court on Wednesday morning, Corey Johnston learned he would not be jailed after police found him in possession of child exploitation material.

During sentencing submissions, the court heard child exploitation material was found on his phone after police went to arrest his father at their Mannum home.

Johnston, 25, was charged with one count of possessing child exploitation in May last year and later pleaded guilty in January.

He was charged at the same time as his father, Stewart Johnston, who has also pleaded guilty to the same offence.
Stewart Johnston was one of the people who blew the whistle on the abuse scandal at the Oakden aged mental health care service after his mother alleged she had been repeatedly abused by staff.

The nursing home was closed in 2017 and prompted inquiries, including an ICAC probe. It also led to government compensation payouts for the families of victims.

Michael Woods, for Johnston, previously said his client should be handed a suspended sentence as a result of his young age and the low number of files located on the devices.

Corey Johnston arrives at Adelaide magistrates court. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

He also said the files were kept on a phone in a folder labelled “keep” – which he said he believes is a default folder on Android and Google devices.

In sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Joanne Tracey said possessing such material was a “very serious offence, which unless compelling circumstances exist, ordinarily attracts an immediate term of imprisonment”.

“In assessing the seriousness of your offending, I have regard to the amount of material, its nature, and that some of it had been in your possession for a considerable time,” Judge Tracey said.

“This offending is not a victimless crime and the number of category 1 images and videos depicting very young children, while not of a significant number, are of a particularly heinous nature. You collected the material and it was stored and viewed for some time.”

She jailed Johnston for one year and six months, taking into account a 25 per cent discount for his early guilty plea.

However she said she would suspend the sentence upon him entering into a three year good behaviour bond.

“Mr Johnston, you need to make sure that you comply very strictly with the conditions of this bond. There will be no second chances,” she said.