Mackay dad faces court over child rape, filming charges

A Queensland father faces 16 child sexual abuse related charges including allegations of raping his kids multiple times in the days before Christmas and using a hidden network to distribute photos and videos.

A Mackay father has been charged with raping his two children aged under 12.

A Mackay dad has been charged with raping his two children aged under 12 over multiple days leading up to Christmas.

The 16 child sexual abuse related charges against the Mackay region father, who cannot be named as it risks naming his alleged victims, were heard before Mackay Magistrates Court on Thursday.

He allegedly raped his two children in the Mackay region on December 20 and again on December 21.

He also allegedly raped one of the children on an unknown date between December 11 and 22 at an unknown location.

Also between those dates he is charged with distributing child exploitation material, namely videos and photographs, using a hidden network or anonymising service.

He is further charged on December 20 with unlawfully and indecently dealing with his two kids who were in his care; two counts of taking indecent photographs of one of his children; and filming indecent videos of each child.

The court heard the father was also previously charged with indecently taking a photograph of a child under 12, and two counts each of using a carriage service to access child abuse material and two counts of possess child exploitation material.

There was an application before the court to order the father to undergo a forensic procedure but because it required discussions over sensitive material between the prosecution, solicitor Nick Coughlan of Fisher Dore Lawyers and Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan, the court had to be closed.

But before shutting the court, Ms Hartigan stated the case was “so serious”, a forensic procedure order “has to be made”.

The case will next be mentioned on July 8.