Christopher Standen gets prison time cut in half after massive child abuse material haul
A former TasTAFE computing teacher raided by federal police and caught with a collection of “grossly depraved” child abuse images, will soon be released from prison after winning an appeal.
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A former TasTAFE computing teacher caught in possession of “grossly depraved” child abuse material will soon be released from prison, with his time behind bars cut in half.
In August this year, Huonville man Christopher Standen – now 37 – was given a jail term of two years and eight months, but to be released from prison after one year under a recognisance order.
However, Standen won a Court of Criminal Appeal argument late last month, arguing his sentence was manifestly excessive as there had been a miscalculation in the number of child abuse material files found in his possession.
His original sentence, handed down by Justice Gregory Geason, was quashed, with Acting Justice Brian Martin resentencing him last week.
In his comments on passing the new sentence, Acting Justice Martin described Standen’s crimes, which he committed over three years, as “abhorrent”.
But he also acknowledged the “arithmetical error” made in one of Standen’s charges – that he’d been sentenced on the basis of possessing 22,492 items of child abuse material, when the number was in fact 5325.
He said that error was no fault of Justice Geason’s.
Acting Justice Martin said Standen was found in possession of child abuse material of all five categories, including the most serious and depraved category five, and featured children in nappies being abused and photos of babies.
“Mr Standen, put bluntly, your crimes are abhorrent,” he said.
“The material includes numerous individual victims being subjected to highly depraved acts amounting to rape and sexual assault of very young children by adult persons.”
Standen also developed a fascination with Japanese anime, and its offshoot of animated child exploitation material.
Standen admitted using a TOR browser – software for enabling anonymous communication, required to access the dark web – to access and download the images.
The judge noted he was of low risk of repeat offending, and that he was “thoroughly ashamed” of his crimes.
Acting Justice Martin said he would have actually given longer sentences than Justice Geason did for Standen’s convictions on three charges – but ultimately came back to the two-year and eight-month head sentence.
However, he reduced the recognisance release order from one year to six months, with Standen to be of good behaviour for three years upon his release.
With time served, Standen is due to be released from Risdon Prison on February 15 next year.
Upon release, his name will remain on the sex offenders’ register for five years, instead of the previously-imposed eight years.
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Originally published as Christopher Standen gets prison time cut in half after massive child abuse material haul
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