John Taylor pleads guilty to distributing child exploitation material

A man has fronted Gympie District Court on a charge of distributing child exploitation material following a controversial social media post.

An “horrendously stupid” Facebook post has landed an Imbil traffic controller in hot water and facing a charge of distributing child exploitation material.

John Taylor fronted Gympie District Court after making the post on January 11 while in the middle of an argument with other users on the social media giant.

The court heard the 65-year-old attempted to make a political point by posting an image he found online of United State’s President Joe Biden’s son Hunter holding the hand of a 12-year-old girl wearing lingerie.

The offensive post was reported to police.

Taylor’s arrest left Judge Glen Cash grappling with how to handle the matter as the charge carried with it mandatory jail time.

This was despite a police search of the 65-year-old’s electronic devices turning up no other exploitation material.

Crown Prosecutor Catherine Birkett saying Taylor did not show any sexual interest in or present any danger to children.

“I’m supposed to send him to jail and make him a reportable offender for five years,” Mr Cash said.

Judge Glen Cash said the law required him to send Taylor to jail, but as these were exceptional circumstances he sentenced the 65-year-old to 40 hours of community service instead. Pic Peter Wallis

“No-one needs to be protected from him except people that might come across him on Facebook.

Taylor’s lawyer argued there were “exceptional circumstances” in this case and the 65-year-old “does not pose a risk”.

“He’s embarrassed by the offending and remorseful.

“It was a total lack of judgment.”

Mr Cash agreed the matter was well outside the norm and “not the type of conduct that was intended to be captured by parliament for this offence”.

He said the post was also “horrendously stupid” part of a “fruitless exercise” in arguing on Facebook.

“I’m required by law to send you to jail today, but these are exceptional circumstances,” Mr Cash said.

He accepted Taylor’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 40 hours of community service.

No conviction was recorded.