Discord child sex predator and CFS volunteer Matthew Richard Gardiner jailed for eight years

A CFS volunteer and child sex predator has learned his fate for grooming dozens of children online in disturbing role plays, including talking about impregnating them.

A CFS volunteer has learned his fate after he groomed dozens of children online, including engaging them in disturbing role play fantasies.

Matthew Richard Gardiner, 34, was jailed for eight years after his vile messages for his own sexual gratification came to light.

During sentencing on Tuesday, the District Court heard Gardiner groomed the first victim – who was aged between 15 and 16 – on the popular app Discord under the name “OzDude”.

The court heard Gardiner requested sexually explicit photographs and videos from the victim and asked to meet her more than once.

She eventually called the Kids Helpline and police were notified.

Discord child sex predator and CFS volunteer Matthew Richard Gardiner jailed for eight years. Photo: File

Gardiner was arrested by the state’s elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team in October 2023.

He was granted home detention bail but immediately rearrested and charged with dozens more offences, with JACET warning they expected to find more victims.

By that time, prosecutors had dubbed Gardiner an “impulsive, almost uncontrollable” predator posing “an extreme risk to the community”.

While searching his phone, detectives discovered Gardiner had also been talking to 52 other children, aged between 12 and 16, between March 2019 and October 2023.

The court heard Gardiner also engaged these children in sexualised chat and disturbing role play scenarios on Discord, Kik or Google chat.

“You disclosed to (the first victim) your fantasy about getting her pregnant,” Judge Michelle Sutcliffe said.

“The theme of pregnancy was a feature in many of your communications.”

In her victim impact statement, the first victim said she does not trust men and Gardiner’s offending had caused “‘irreparable harm’ to her and her family.

Gardiner pleaded guilty to 55 charges, including procuring a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard Gardiner, who has autism spectrum disorder, was in a stable relationship with an adult woman at the time of his offending.

“You said that those communications were a form of escapism and that looking back you felt embarrassed, shame, self hatred and revulsion,” Judge Sutcliffe said.

“You believe that the interactions you were having were genuine and you did not at the time consider the harm you were causing.”

Gardiner was jailed for eight years, with a non-parole period of four years and 10 months.

“Children and young people require protection from their own immaturity when matters of sexual activity and sexual communications are concerned,” Judge Sutcliffe said.

“Children are vulnerable online and must be protected from people who seek to exploit them.”

The sentence was backdated to December 22, 2022.