Queensland Police officer jailed for child sexual offences

A Queensland Police officer has been jailed for evil sexual offending committed against his daughter and stepdaughters.

A former Queensland Police officer who was serving at the time of offending has been jailed for vile child sexual offences committed over 15 years, which involved him repeatedly molesting and filming his daughter and stepdaughters.

The Dalby man, aged in his early fifties, cannot be named to protect the identity of his four victims, who were aged between four and 13 at the time of offending.

The man pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Tuesday to 11 offences, including making and possessing child exploitation material (CEM), and multiple counts of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 12 who was a lineal descendant.

The court heard the offences occurred in three groups: in 2001–02, in 2011–12, and in 2016, when a search warrant executed on his former East Ipswich residence uncovered him in possession of vile CEM themed around incest.

In 2001–02, the man repeatedly photographed his daughter, who was yet to start primary school, bathing, focusing on her crotch area.

He also took a variety of other pictures of her in “different types of undress”.

A Queensland Police officer serving at the time he was charged has been jailed for 11 vile sexual offences against a daughter and stepdaughters. Picture: Richard Walker

In 2011–12, the man took a series of videos and photographs of three of his stepchildren, several of which depicted their vaginas, including when they were sleeping.

In March 2012, he touched one of the girl’s vaginas while photographing her.

One of the indecent treatments was committed while he thought his stepdaughter was asleep.

In fact, she lay on the couch frozen in terror as the disgusting indecent treatment took place.

Defence counsel John Cook told the court his client went to St Joseph’s College and joined the police academy in 2001, serving until his arrest in 2016.

He has remained suspended without pay since and worked as a fruit packer and delivery driver, Mr Cook said.

He noted his client suffered post traumatic stress disorder as a result of his work with QPS.

The man had spent 19 days remanded in pre-sentence custody, after his arrest and another short period in 2018.

It was submitted he lacked insight into his offending, as he denied to the court-appointed psychologist he was sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children.

Judge Ian Dearden sentenced the man to four years’ imprisonment, suspended for an operational period of five years after he had served 16 months behind bars.