Taskforce Argos: Rockhampton man sentenced for child sex offences

*WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT* A man who told eight strange children on three different social platforms of child sex fantasies he had of his young niece – younger than 10 – did not stop fantasising about children after he was busted by police.

A man who told eight strange children on three different social platforms of child sex fantasies he had of his niece – who was aged younger than 10 – did not stop fantasising about children even after he was busted by police.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court last week after pleading guilty to one count of distributing child exploitation material and one of using a carriage service to access child exploitation material.

Crown prosecutor Tiffany Lawrence said he told a report writer 12 months after he was charged that he did not stop fantasising immediately after being charged, but he did stop his “deviant fantasies involving his niece”.

She said the man also told the report writer he still had urges and avoided being around others.

Ms Lawrence said the report stated the man met the psychological criteria in the DSM-5 for pedophilic disorder but did not present with enough symptoms to warrant a diagnosis at the time of the report.

However, defence barrister Sheridan Shaw claimed the report stated her client could be rehabilitated and he had an underlying issue with self-confidence and social isolation.

Judge Jeff Clarke said what happened in this case was “truly disturbing”.

The man distributed the material – very graphic details of his disturbing sexual fantasies and a photograph of his niece – to the strange children online – between September 7 and October 8, 2020.

He messaged eight individuals on three different social media platforms about his desire to rape his young niece, take her virginity and get her pregnant.

Ms Lawrence said he also involved adults in these fantasies including his sister.

He also fantasised about raping children with objects.

She said the children online were aged 10-15.

Ms Lawrence said there were three individuals he spoke to privately and then a group chat involving two sisters with three other people added later.

She said the defendant then went on to have private conversations with four of the children involved in that chat.

Ms Lawrence said the defendant was detected by Task force Argos and a police officer began messaging the defendant while posing as a female child.

She said the defendant messaged five people on October 7, 2020, detailing how he became aroused when he saw his niece’s underwear and what his fantasy was at that point in time.

A search warrant at the man’s residence was executed the next day.

The defendant admitted to possessing child exploitation material on multiple devices and initially claimed his comments online about sex with underage people were “all jokes”, but later confessed he was sexually attracted to his niece and possessed the child exploitation material for his own gratification.

Ms Lawrence said the defendant was in a chatroom with 25 other people where child exploitation material was being shared, including a link which he followed where hundreds of child exploitation material was available.

“It was persistent conduct,” she said.

Ms Shaw said her client grew up in a normal home, but struggled in high school due to bullying about his weight.

She said the defendant had worked in restaurant kitchens and had dreamt of travelling America while working in kitchens.

Ms Shaw said her client lived with his parents – one who is on a disability pension.

She said since being charged, he has avoided temptation and avoid thinking about sexually abusing children by always being around people.

Ms Shaw said he felt “a great deal of shame” about his offending and he said he had “stuffed up”.

Judge Clarke sentenced the man to two years prison, suspended after serving four months with a three year operational period and declared 84 days presentence custody.

He also ordered the man to do two years probation, starting the day of his release from prison, with a condition he attend treatment as directed by probation and parole.