Joshua Gittins: Riverbend man guilty of possessing child exploitation material
A lonely Logan man became “desensitised” to pornography after watching so much of it and began downloading increasingly “taboo” content, concluding with “disgusting” illegal material.
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An isolated Logan man who lives in a detached home on his parents’ pastoral property became “desensitised” to pornography through over-consumption, leading him to seek out increasingly “risque (and) taboo” content.
The disgusting descent of Riverbend man Joshua Roy Ian Gittins, 35, began with animated pornography depicting characters from The Simpsons in incestuous relationships, an interest piqued when he studied animation at TAFE, and eventually led him to download hundreds of videos and thousands of images of child exploitation material (CEM).
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Beenleigh District Court heard Gittins was arrested on December 12 last year after a search warrant was executed on his home, following an online investigation concluding November 25 which indicated Gittins had downloaded the material using peer-to-peer platforms.
When questioned, Gittins admitted he had been downloading “content which was considered taboo”, including the bizarre Simpsons pornography, but requested legal representation when asked about the CEM, which was located on three hard drives and a computer tower, the court heard.
Analysis of the CEM found on his devices revealed about 150 videos and 2300 images (plus 1000 images which did not meet the bar of CEM but were indicative of a pattern of behaviour) organised into folders and directories with no attempt to hide them.
The court heard 57 of the videos were considered ‘Category 1’ under the Interpol Baseline system, meaning they “depict real pre-pubescent child (under the age of 13 years approximately) and the child is involved in a sexual act, is witnessing a sexual act or the material is focused/concentrated on the child’s anal or genital region.”
According to a report tendered to the court by a forensic psychologist, Gittins admitted to becoming “desensitised” to adult pornography and described an “inner conflict” when viewing the CEM, as he “knew children were being harmed but felt a compulsion to view it”.
Defence counsel Deborah Holliday told the court Gittins, whose fiance lives in New Mexico, is gradually taking on more responsibilities, alongside his brother, managing his parents’ growing pastoral portfolio, which is located across the southern Logan and Scenic Rim regions.
She said this charge was the wake-up call Gittins needed and his parents are very supportive of his efforts to rehabilitate, which include going on daily walks with his mother and watching family movies together, rather than him be in isolation where the temptation to access illicit material would be greatest.
Gittins pleaded guilty to the single charge of possessing child exploitation material.
Judge Craig Chowdhury described the material found on Gittins’ devices as “appalling, disgusting and disturbing”.
“I hate doing these cases – fortunately, I haven’t been asked to look at these videos and images, the descriptions are bad enough,” he said.
“You’ve brought considerable shame on yourself and your family.”
Judge Chowdhury said he was “persuaded somewhat reluctantly” by Ms Holliday’s advocacy to give Gittins a wholly suspended sentence.
The sentence is for one year, suspended for a period of two years.
Gittins will be on the Child Protection Offender Register for “at least” five years, Judge Chowdhury said.