Luke Michael Pickering to face sentencing over 900 child abuse images

Luke Michael Pickering downloaded 900 images of children being abused but had already stopped when police arrested him, a court has heard, amid pleas to spare him prison.

Luke Michael Pickering outside court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Jailing a former soldier for downloading 900 images of children being abused has “no psychological benefit” and will only “crush his confidence” by causing him to “shut down emotionally”, a court has heard.

On Thursday, Luke Michael Pickering urged the District Court to suspend his imminent prison sentence, insisting he is a good candidate for rehabilitation.

Marie Shaw KC, for Pickering, said her client had already ceased downloading and viewing his perverse, illegal online collection before police caught him.

“The fact (is) he had desisted of his own volition out of disgust and shame … he has a very small risk of reoffending, and ongoing treatment will address that,” she said.

“There will be no psychological benefit about a prison sentence – rather, a prison sentence will lead him to shut down emotionally so he can cope with the experience.

“The emotional growth he has shown in the last two years will be put on hold and he will likely regress … his confidence will be crushed.”

Pickering, 32, of Ingle Farm, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of accessing, possessing and transmitting child abuse material via the internet.

He was arrested by the elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) in 2021 alongside 10 other men as a result of a two-year Australian Federal Police operation.

Despite having been caught hoarding and transmitting more than 900 photos and videos of child abuse Pickering asked the court for mercy.

He blamed his time in the Australian Army for his “descent” into child abuse, saying his training “desensitised” him to disgusting images and left him “a broken man”.

On Thursday, Ms Shaw said there was a “realistic connection or causal link” between Pickering’s post-traumatic stress – caused by his military service – and his offending.

The fact he had ceased offending before JACET arrested him was, she said, supported by evidence tendered in the case.

Her client had, she said, drafted a letter of apology to he court which “demonstrates significant remorse”.

Ms Shaw said Pickering should be spared jail and allowed to continue his psychotherapy in the community.

“(Otherwise) the shame he felt post-offending is likely to resurface as is his belief that he would never recover his life, re-partner or find success,” she said.

Judge Joanne Tracey remanded Pickering on continuing bail for sentencing next month.