Alec Stephen West pleads guilty to child abuse material, revenge porn charges

A Geelong man who created a sickening online child exploitation game used by pedophiles across the globe has accepted a plea deal.

Alec Stephen West. Picture: supplied

A Geelong man who created a sickening, online child exploitation game used by pedophiles across the globe has accepted a plea deal.

Alec Stephen West, 31, appeared in the Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, and pleaded guilty to 14 charges related to child abuse material, stalking and revenge porn, including controlling an electronic server of child abuse, aggravated use of a carriage service for child abuse, making available child abuse material, multiple counts of possessing child abuse, accessing child abuse material and dealing in money believed to be the proceeds of crime.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of installing an optical surveillance device and intent to distribute intimate image of another person.

Magistrate Urfa Masood committed the Geelong West man to the County Court for a plea hearing in August.

AFP officers arrested West in August following an investigation into the creation of an online child exploitation game. Picture: AFP

During proceedings, West only spoke to confirm he would plead guilty.

As part of the plea deal, the prosecution withdrew 20 charges from its indictment.

West’s lawyer, Timothy Hancock, told the court the matter had resolved since West’s last appearance in court, after he received a plea offer from the Crown.

West was arrested in August last year, following a “landmark” investigation by the Victorian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team.

Following his arrest, Australian Federal Police Commander Paul O’Halloran said West was believed to be the first person charged in Victoria with creating an online child exploitation game, allowing users to simulate sexual abuse against animated child characters.

“This is a landmark investigation and one that really highlights the insidious nature of child exploitation and the many forms it can take,” Commander O’Halloran said.

“For someone to create this kind of platform and treat this crime theme as a game, is completely horrifying, especially when that person is essentially in our own backyard.

“While the material on the platform does not involve live children, it has been created to mimic that and this is clearly of great concern to us.”

West will remain on bail, under strict conditions. He will face the County Court on August 26.

Originally published as Alec Stephen West pleads guilty to child abuse material, revenge porn charges