Man caught with 35 child porn images on computer

STAFF at Harvey Norman found 35 images of child porn when they went to service a customer's computer, the District Court was told in Mackay yesterday.

STAFF at Harvey Norman found 35 images of child porn when they went to service a customer's computer, the District Court was told in Mackay yesterday.

The Harvey Norman staff reported the images to police who arrested and charged the computer's owner.

John McDonough, 57, retired, of South Mackay, pleaded guilty to 35 charges of possessing child exploitation material.

McDonough initially denied any knowledge of the images when police first interviewed him, Crown prosecutor Peter Smid said.

"But it was a fairly new computer so there was no question the images could have got there accidentally," Mr Smid said.

The images were not tendered in court. However, a written description of them was handed up to the judge so he could read what they were like.

Barrister Geoff Stenson, for McDonough, said the images were of older children and a paediatrician had to examine the images before confirming the people in them were children.

"He (McDonough) put the computer into Harvey Norman knowing the images were there, not realising they were illegal," Mr Stenson said.

McDonough did not buy or distribute the images, Mr Stenson said.

Judge Michael Shanahan said the images showed children involved in sexual activity and a number were pictures of naked children. McDonough was jailed for nine months, suspended immediately for 12 months.

Originally published as Man caught with 35 child porn images on computer