Bennjaman James Callaghan: Cleveland man’s sick child abuse fantasy with boyfriend

A Cleveland man caught communicating with alleged child sex offenders also fantasised with his boyfriend about abusing children together. WARNING: Distressing content.

A Cleveland man caught communicating with alleged child sex offenders also fantasised with his boyfriend about abusing children together.

Bennjaman James Callaghan, 30, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Friday to eight charges, including four counts of using a carriage service to transmit, make available, publish, distribute, advertise or promote child abuse material.

The court heard Callaghan came to the attention of police after an anti-child exploitation team in NSW found he had been communicating with a co-accused there on February 7, 2020.

A search warrant was then executed at Callaghan’s QLD home and workplace and seized his phone and laptop on May 5, 2020.

The court heard the devices revealed messages sent between Callaghan and his former boyfriend Jackson McGill where they fantasised about sexually abusing male children sent between November 14, 2019, and February 14, 2020.

Callaghan sent 23 videos of child abuse material to McGill between November 14-23, 2019.

He also sent 25 videos with child abuse material to another co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and received 35 videos back from him between November 25, 2019, and April 25, 2020.

The court heard that 22 of the videos he received from his co-accused depicted sexual abuse the sender had perpetrated on a child.

The court heard Callaghan also shared child abuse material with another co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on or about December 4, 2019.

He sent four videos and received nine videos, including one showing the sexual abuse of a child with autism who was known to the co-accused.

The court heard Callaghan sent messages to his co-accused encouraging them to send videos including, “Do you have any original content?” and “Eight to 12 is my fave.”

In total 571 child abuse material files were found on Callaghan’s devices.

Callaghan’s lawyer told the court his client had no criminal history and had been cooperative with police in their investigations.

He said Callaghan’s brother died in 2018 and he struggled with anxiety and depression.

He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for five years after serving eight months.

He was given a 24-month probation order following his release and released on a $2000 recognisance to be of good behaviour for five years.