Mother-of-three in court for possessing child abuse material

A Kingaroy mum and former youth care worker has been been convicted after police found 52 images and videos on her phone of a teenage boy she had formed a sexual relationship with.

A former youth care worker pleaded at Kingaroy District Court for possessing child exploitation material.

A Kingaroy mother and former youth care worker was convicted on Thursday after police found 52 images and videos on her phone of a teenage boy she had formed a sexual relationship with.

The 42-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material when she fronted Kingaroy District Court.

The court heard the mum-of-three was working at a youth care home for children when she began a relationship with a 16-year-old boy who was in the care of the facility.

Crown prosecutor Daniel Trigger outlined an agreed statement of facts which referenced an early conversation between the woman and the boy where the pair discussed adding each other on social media.

“I would add you but if I was to add you it would just be for saying hi and keeping it PG,” she told the boy.

The boy replied he couldn’t promise her “that it will stay PG”.

The woman replied, “It’s so risky,” and told him she could lose her job over it.

Judge Suzanne Sheridan said when the complainant initially showed interest in the woman, she “responded appropriately”.

“But then you accepted the complainant’s request to become friends on Snapchat and it seems it went from there,” Judge Sheridan said.

Alison Fletcher pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material.

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The court heard after messaging each other on social media, the woman and the boy began a sexual relationship.

Police became aware of the material on the woman’s phone when a friend of the 16-year-old made a complaint to the police.

Police searched the woman’s phone and found child abuse material in “hidden folders”.

The court heard police found a total of 52 images and videos of the boy as well as the two of them together in sexual acts.

Judge Sheridan conceded there was a “uniqueness” to the offending but said it was still “serious offending”.

“It should not be regarded as being the same as what we are seeing in society, sadly, the growing prevalence of the creation of child exploitation material. This is certainly quite different.

“The relationship itself was not unlawful but … you were in a position of trust,” Judge Sheridan said.

“The children under the care of the state in that home must be regarded as having some vulnerability and you did on that occasion abuse the position of trust.”

Kingaroy Magistrates Court. File Photo.

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The court heard the woman had lost her job and blue card as a result of the offending and now worked at a local petrol station.

Judge Sheridan said she had shown remorse for her actions and accepted it was “out of character” for her based on her lack of criminal history and references submitted by family members and former work colleagues.

“It seems that you have suffered since this offending has come to light,” she said.

Judge Sheridan sentenced the woman to six months imprisonment to be released immediately.

She was also given 12 months probation and a good behaviour order for two years.