Shawn Joseph Innis: Tradie offered drugs in exchange for child sex in vile online ad

A Brisbane tradie described himself as a “dirty old man” in a disturbing online ad where he was looking to hook up underage girls in exchange for drugs, a court has heard. WARNING: Distressing content.

A Brisbane tradie described himself as a “dirty old man” in a disturbing online ad where he was looking to hook up underage girls in exchange for drugs, a court has heard.

Petrie Terrace man Shawn Joseph Innis, 34. Picture: Facebook

Petrie Terrace man Shawn Joseph Innis, 34, pleaded guilty in district court at Beenleigh on Monday to two counts of possessing child exploitation material and one count each of making child exploitation material (hidden network/anonymising service) and using carriage service to prepare to cause harm or engage in sexual activity with or procure for sexual activity person under 16.

The court heard Innis, who works as a painter, posted an advertisement on a website looking for underage girls for illegal sexual activity on August 21, 2020.

The court heard the advertisement included the text to the effect of: “Looking for any young teen, preferably tiny little high school girls..... Dirty old man that loves JB (jail bait). Also welcome for trade or extremely taboo visit.”

The post was linked to a phone number identified as belonging to Innis and the email linked to the account was the same he used with the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Police conducted a search of his car in Logan Central and seized a number of devices including a mobile phone and tablet on September 1, 2020.

The court heard police located child exploitation material on the phone and tablet.

They executed a search at his girlfriend’s house and located a micro SC storage card with his property containing a backup of a mobile phone where further child exploitation material was located.

The images and videos located depicted female children up to the age of 14 and some as young as two years of age.

The court heard the SD card included videos where Innis used an app to record while accessing child exploitation material.

That app made the user anonymous and blocked tracking locations, searches and also had encryption.

Innis’ lawyer told the court the offending occurred during a “dark period” of his life when he was using meth regularly and it had “distorted his way of thinking.”

Judge Craig Chowdhury said Innis had a significant criminal history for mostly property and drug-related offences.

“The courts have said for many years now that child exploitation material, making it, possessing it, is an extremely serious offence,” he said.

“It just furthers this vile trade that exists sadly in this modern world where children somewhere in the world, sometimes in Australia but usually overseas, are being physiologically traumatised for the perverted pleasure of their abusers.”

Judge Chowdhury declared the 559 days he spent in pre-sentence custody as time served and ordered he be released on a $500 recognisance for a period of six months.