Shaun Benjamin Bretske jailed for ‘vile’ images, messages expressing his desire to “rape” a young boy

A Townsville man caught secretly sharing “grotesque” child abuse files and sending messages sharing his desire to “rape” a fictional boy sobbed as the details of his crimes were read in court.

Shaun Benjamin Bretske sentenced to three years jail over

A Townsville man caught secretly sharing “grotesque” child abuse files and sending messages expressing his desire to “rape” a fictional boy sobbed as the details of his crimes were read in court.

Sitting in the dock of Townsville District Court, Shaun Benjamin Bretske, 42, sat with his head hanging, occasionally weeping and shuddering.

The court heard Bretske had been sharing child abuse images and videos across multiple online applications which allowed him to hide his identity – but his offending came to light when police searched his home on September 28, 2021.

After handing over his phone codes and devices, 22 images and six videos, involving children as young as 2 years old were found.

Shaun Bretske, 42, sent a video of himself masturbating to a fantasy involving a fictional boy, who he thought was a real child.

He pleaded guilty in September to seven charges of distributing child exploitation material (CEM) using a hidden network, one count of distributing CEM using a hidden network, one count of making CEM, and three counts of possessing CEM.

Ms Sheppard said between August and September last year, Bretske had connected with a man through one of the applications.

She said the man told Bretske he was the father of an 8 to 10-year-old boy – despite this not being true, Bretske believed there was a real child.

Ms Sheppard said investigations confirmed there was never a child, and that the other man had since died by suicide, but that Bretske’s messages had revealed his “desire” to rape the fictional boy and their “collective desire” to abuse the child.

The court heard Bretske wanted to have the child “watch” he and the other man have sex and “teach” the child sex acts.

Shaun Bretske, 42.

Bretske also sent a video of himself masturbating to the desire to the man on August 28.

An additional 526 videos and 178 images, which Ms Sheppard were “particularly vile” and “grotesque” were found on Bretske’s devices – including an infant that was “bound and gagged”.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren noted Bretske looked “thoroughly disgusted” with himself in the dock.

Barrister Ross Malcomson said Bretske, who had been working at Dan Murphy’s, had received 20 hours of counselling since being charged, and intended to seek further help.

He said Bretske had been abused as a child and that he would require psychological assistance in jail.

Judge Rosengren noted Bretske’s lack of criminal history, and his co-operation with police.

“You knew what you were doing was completely immoral and wrong, as you told police,” Judge Rosengren said, as Bretske began to sob.

Bretske was sentenced to three years jail, to be suspended after serving nine months in custody for an operational period of four years.

Fifteen days of presentence custody was declared.

Originally published as Shaun Benjamin Bretske jailed for ‘vile’ images, messages expressing his desire to “rape” a young boy