Stanthorpe dad pleads guilty to making child exploitation material and child sexual charges

A Southern Downs dad has returned to court on child exploitation charges after being sentenced for other sexual offences in 2018.

iStock child abuse generic images

A Southern Downs dad has returned to court on addendum charges relating to a string of child sexual offences from almost a decade ago.

The man – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – fronted Warwick District Court on Wednesday for charges he committed when he was age 30 to 34, which he pleaded guilty to.

The man, now aged 41, pleaded guilty to indecently dealing with a child under 16, and making child exploitation material.

It was revealed in court that in October 2018, Judge Lynch KC had sentenced the man to five years’ imprisonment, and the two charges were addendum charges relating to a period of offending between January 2013 and December 2016.

Judge Terry Gardiner noted that the charges were hanging on from a previous matter and that the man’s appearance in court was “exceptional circumstances”.

The judge said there would have been no different outcome for the charges if they were sentenced as part of the 2018 hearing.

“Continue your rehabilitation so you don’t come back here,” Judge Gardiner told the man.

The man was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for four months.