Nathan Leslie Glenn Mckenzie sentenced over vile collection of child exploitation material

A Queensland dad told police he was a “porn addict” when they found thousands of graphic child exploitation material images on his devices.

A porn-addicted Ipswich father who was viewing “hardcore” graphic child abuse material said he knew it was illegal but used the images as a “coping” mechanism.

Police found more than 9000 child exploitation material images stored on Nathan Leslie Glenn Mckenzie’s computer and tablet during a search of his home in May 2019.

When police arrived at the house, Mckenzie said he wished to speak to the officers alone, the Ipswich District Court heard on Wednesday.

Mckenzie, then 37, was cooperative and told officers he was a “porn addict.”

He said he had been viewing child exploitation material “on and off” for five or six years, during cycles of depression and knew it was illegal.

A forensic analysis of his devices found 9688 child abuse images depicting real and animated girls aged about eight to 14.

The court heard Mckenzie had been using sites which hosted “hardcore” material including sexual and physical violence including torture.

The Crown alleged Mckenzie had possessed the images for eight days.

Mckenzie also made child exploitation material available to others for four days, by using peer to peer software.

Mckenzie, now 41, pleaded guilty to two Commonwealth offences of using a carriage service to make available child pornography material and using a carriage service to access child pornography material on dates in May 2019.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child exploitation material between May 15 and May 24, 2019.

The court heard Mckenzie’s admission to viewing child abuse images for five or six years was not part of his offending but demonstrated his co-operation with police by making full admissions.

Defence barrister Allana Davie said Mckenzie was supported in court by his family, some of whom also wrote character references for Mckenzie.

She said Mckenzie was engaging in treatment with a psychologist.

Judge Dennis Lynch said child exploitation material offences were not victimless crimes and said real children had been “grossly abused” to produce the material.

Judge Lynch said Mckenzie “likely” used the material to “cope” following a divorce, previous redundancy and childhood trauma.

He said otherwise he viewed Mckenzie as a “decent partner, parent, son and sibling” and was genuinely remorseful.

For the Commonwealth offences, Mckenzie was sentenced to 12 months in prison to be released immediately on to a good behaviour bond of $1000 for two years.

Mckenzie was sentenced to 12 months in prison wholly suspended for two years for the offence of possessing child exploitation material.