Former firefighter, security guard Shaun Stephen Hudson busted with CEM

A former Qld firefighter turned security guard, now out of a job after being caught with child exploitation material, tried to tell police he’d been “hacked”. His other excuse wasn’t much better.

Former firefighter Shaun Stephen Hudson busted with 500+ child exploitation material files on his computer and two phones. Sentenced in Rockhampton District Court on April 10, 2025.

A now-jobless security guard and former firefighter father claimed he had been “hacked” when he was busted with 527 files of child exploitation material.

Shaun Stephen Hudson, 43, had a total of 207 images and 320 videos, Rockhampton District Court heard on April 10.

Crown prosecutor Bianca Volling said the content largely consisted of children in sexual poses and non-penetrative activity between adults and children.

She said 62 images and 29 videos met the criteria for category two – sexual acts involving masturbation by a child or no child’s body part being penetrated.

Ms Volling said there was also content of penile penetration of a girl aged 12 and digital penetration of two children aged 14.

The court heard Hudson had no prior criminal history.

Judge Jeff Clarke said police found the CEM after searching Hudson’s home on April 15, 2024, “so they knew what (Hudson) was up to”.

He said Hudson told police “some nonsense about having been hacked and or threatened over application Kik (encryption communication app)”, which was why he had the CEM on his computer.

However, police also located the CEM on two mobile phones belonging to Hudson.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client lived with the Johns River Christian Community in NSW after leaving home when he was 16.

She said her client had suffered abuse as a child, left school halfway through year nine and worked in various positions, including landscaping, after-school care, security guard, firefighting, as an orderly at the Mater Hospital and in aged care in Maryborough.

Ms Willey said he could no longer work as a security guard – his last job – due to this offence and conviction and he had struggled financially since being charged and losing his employment.

She also said her client had a child from a seven-year relationship which ended when he was charged with this offence.

“It really is quite shameful offending conduct, especially for a man who is a father,” Judge Clarke said.

Hudson pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child exploitation material and was sentenced to 12 months’ jail, wholly suspended with an 18-month operational period.