Tuscan Baldry charged with 42 counts of soliciting, accessing child exploitation material

A Queensland court heard a man charged with more than forty counts of dealing with child abuse material was facing “threats” from people turning up to his bail address as he asked to move elsewhere.

The lawyer for a man charged with more than forty counts of dealing with child abuse material requested a bail address change after threats were made.

Barron and Allen solicitor Aaron Sellentin said Tuscan Baldry had faced “threats people made and attended his bail address”, and so was requesting a relocation to a house out of town.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard on Monday that Mr Baldry faced 21 counts of soliciting child exploitation material (CEM), one count of transmitting CEM, 19 counts of transmitting CEM to himself, and one count of possessing CEM over a six month period.

The court heard some of the charges noted the material was computer generated.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan read out the charges over several minutes, with the offending staggered across various dates from December 2023 to June 2024.

Tuscan Baldry leaving Mackay court on August 5, 2024 after being charged with more than 40 counts of using a carriage service to access child exploitation material. Picture: Zoe Devenport

She noted after concluding that Mr Baldry had been charged for each individual image, hence the charge list “looks a lot worse than it usually looks” for similar offending.

Police prosecutor Leonie Taufa’ao noted to Ms Hartigan that the separate charges for soliciting whereas “a month later is the receiving, if I can put it in those terms”.

While Ms Taufa’ao hoped to retain reporting conditions in Mr Baldry’s bail, Ms Hartigan said there was no need when he planned to live remotely and had no history for failing to appear.

Ms Hartigan instructed the parties not mention the location where Mr Baldry planned to live to prevent further threats, but Ms Taufa’ao described the bail address as “on the outskirts of a town” with 5000 people and 35 minutes from a “bigger area”.

Tuscan Baldry leaving Mackay court on August 5, 2024 after being charged with more than 40 counts of using a carriage service to access child exploitation material. Picture: Zoe Devenport

Ms Hartigan also refused to give Mr Baldry a no contact order for children, per Ms Taufa’ao’s submission.

“I know these crimes are not victimless, but they’re completely different to touching a child, as in being charged with indecent treatment or rape of a child - they don’t go that far,” she said.

“I only give reporting conditions if the person has no bail address.

“I note your objection (Ms Taufa’ao), but I’m going to give him the bail.”

Mr Baldry’s new bail order still included a ban on internet use excepting access to government sites and legal education, as well as a ban on reapplying for a passport or entering an airport terminal.

His matters were adjourned for 12 weeks to allow time for the CEM to be analysed, with a brief ordered due by October 18.

A committal mention for Mr Baldry was listed for November 11.