Former teacher John Rooney sentenced for possessing child exploitation material

A man who had a long career as a teacher and was an alcoholic during his final years working has contributed to a “serious social evil” by possessing child exploitation material.

A former teacher who had an alcoholic addiction in his final years working is “deeply remorseful” for being caught with child exploitation material.

John Henry Martin Rooney, 65, avoided jail in the Adelaide District Court on Friday after he contributed to a “serious social evil”, the court heard.

The court heard police attended Rooney’s Fairview Park home and seized a computer and iPad on May 8, last year

“On both of those devices were 37 images and four videos of children under the age of 14 years,” Judge Adam Kimber said during sentencing.

Fourteen images and two videos of children aged between 14-17 years were also found.

The court heard the videos and images were in category one of the Oliver scale – which forms the basis on which child exploitation images and videos are graded – and involved no sexual activity.

“They included females in swimsuits and non-age appropriate underwear and girls posed in a sexually proactive manner,” Judge Kimber said.

“Police also found evidence you had visited websites likely to contain images of child exploitation material.”

The court heard a psychologist who assessed Rooney said he does not meet the criteria for paedophilia and is at low risk of reoffending.

John Rooney was sentenced in the Adelaide District Court on Friday for possessing child exploitation material. Photo: Facebook

Rooney, of Elizabeth Grove, had previously pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material.

The court heard Rooney had four children.

“You had a long career as a teacher, you’ve also made a positive contribution to your community – you have served as a volunteer within a sporting club for many years,” Judge Kimber said.

The court heard Rooney was deeply remorseful for his offending.

“You have severe issues with alcoholism … your abuse of alcohol escalated in 2017, 2018, towards the end of your teaching career,” Judge Kimber said.

“During the final year of your career you were drinking every day, commencing as early as 8am.”

The court heard Rooney is working towards sobriety and addressing his mental health issues.

“While the amount of material in your possession was more limited than in many cases … there remains a need to bring home to people minded to possess such material that such offending is to be regarded seriously,” Judge Kimber said.

“The possession of child exploitation material is a serious social evil, the children depicted in such images are exploited when the images and videos are made and every time they are subsequently viewed.”

Judge Kimber sentenced Rooney to nine-months jail.

The sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond for $1000.

Rooney was banned from owning a computer or smartphone that allows access to the internet.