Hervey Bay hairdresser, boyfriend allegedly fantasised about adopting child to abuse

A Queensland hairdresser, arrested as part of a national child sex squad sting, allegedly fantasised with his boyfriend about adopting a child to abuse. This is how police caught him.

Early in his relationship, a Hervey Bay hairdresser allegedly discovered his partner’s disturbing collection of child abuse images.

But instead of calling the police or telling his partner to get help, Jackson McGill became involved in the dark and twisted world of child exploitation to boost the pair’s sex life.

McGill, 23, is the first be sentenced for his part in a national child abuse network.

It comes after Operation Arkstone, an Australian Federal Police investigation, resulted in the arrest of 20 men on 1297 offences last year.

The Fraser Coast Chronicle and Courier Mail can reveal McGill is the previously unidentified man who pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay District Court this week to possessing, producing, supplying and using a carriage service to transmit child exploitation material and breaching his duty of care to an animal.

Operation Arkstone map of Australia

The court heard while McGill didn’t seem to have the “keen interest” in child abuse material, his partner allegedly did and he was prepared to exchange texts and images in order to engage sexually with him.

He was said to have put wanting to have sex with his partner ahead of any concern he may have had about the material viewed and his behaviour had showed a “callousness or indifference” to the suffering of the children in the images.

During the relationship, McGill had sent multiple messages including one where the couple had allegedly fantasised about adopting a child they could abuse together, the court heard.

McGill’s partner was seven years older than him and had allegedly been a “corrupting influence” to someone who the defence claimed was passive and susceptible.

McGill grew up in Gympie, met his partner in Brisbane and then moved back to Hervey Bay where he worked as a hairdresser.

He broke off the relationship after being charged and was supported in court by his family.

Judge David Reid said McGill, described as being of ‘low risk’ when it came to the chance of reoffending, had to address his tendency to being passive in relationships.

But he said genuine remorse and insight into his offending had been noted on McGill’s behalf.

McGill was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be released after four months and entering into a recognisance order in the amount of $1000 on the condition he be of good behaviour for a period of three years.

He was also placed on a two-year probation order.