Brothers in court for possession of ‘depraved’ child images

TWO Gladstone brothers living under the same roof had no idea they both shared the same “evil” hobby of viewing child pornography – a court has been told.

Blake Parry, 19.

TWO brothers living under the same roof had no idea they both shared the same "evil" and "depraved" hobby of viewing child pornography - a court has been told.

Nathan William Parry, 23 and Blake Norman Parry, 19 were living together when police raided their Gladstone home on August 23, 2018 in search of child exploitation material.

Nathan pleaded guilty in the District Court at Gladstone on Friday to one count of possessing child exploitation material and using a carriage service to access child pornography material.

SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE DISCUSS USE WITH YOUR EDITOR - Nathan Parry, 23.

Blake pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child exploitation material and one count possessing child exploitation material.

The court was told Blake, a fast-food worker and father, was using a Russian image-sharing website to access material and hardware store worker Nathan used Tumblr.

The court was told in July 2018 a covert police officer contacted Blake's profile on the website.

Blake told the undercover officer he liked "girls aged between 0 and 12" and sent the officer a "starter" Dropbox link.

The link contained 212 child exploitation images.

Police executed a search warrant at the Glen Eden address and seized mobile phones and a laptop from the men.

Nathan was questioned whether he had any involvement in viewing the material.

The court was told he had been using Tumblr to view child pornography for several months and had accessed the material that same morning.

Nathan had 198 images stored on his devices.

During police interviews Blake told police he was "fascinated" by the material and Nathan said it made him "sick" doing it, but he "got a rush from viewing something he should not have been viewing".

Defence barrister Tom Polley represented both men separately and told Judge Vicki Loury neither of the men had any knowledge of the other's involvement with the material.

He said the pair were living together at the time.

The court was told both men had "subnormal" intellectual capabilities.

Although both men were fit for trial, Mr Polley said Blake suffered mental health issues and Nathan was diagnosed with autism.

Mr Polley told the court both men were severely bullied in high school but were now both in stable relationships working steady jobs.

Judge Loury said the men had brought "shame" and "grief" to their family.

Judge Loury told both men they were involved in an "evil industry" that "depraved" children.

Blake was sentenced to two years' jail wholly suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete two years' probation.

Nathan was sentenced to 18 months jail with immediate release on a good behaviour recognisance which required him to participate in a sex offenders program.

He was also sentenced to 12 months jail wholly suspended for two years.

Both men had convictions recorded.