Convicted rapist and sex offender imprisoned after exchanged explicit pictures with a child

A declared dangerous sexual offender has been sentenced to prison after he was caught exchanging explicit photos with a child who thought he was 18, only three months after being released from prison.

A convicted rapist and repeat child sex offender posed as a teenager and exchanged explicit pictures with a child whom he labelled in his phone as “my wife” just months after he was released from prison.

Declared dangerous sexual offender Jason Matthew Crutch was also caught with more than 150 child porn images and videos on his phone in May last year, with some images depicting the abuse of children as young as four.

Officers discovered Crutch, who was living at the Wacol precinct for sexual offenders only three months after his release from prison, had been engaging in conversations with a 15-year-old girl whom he enticed to send him images of herself wearing a bra.

The Wacol precinct for sexual offenders comprises temporary living quarters on Correctional Service land in Wacol, near Ipswich, that is used to house convicted child sex offenders on supervision orders who have not yet found suitable housing.

Declared dangerous sexual offender Jason Matthew Crutch pleaded guilty in Brisbane’s District Court, on George St, to nine offences including seven counts of indecent treatment of a child, possessing child exploitation material, and using the internet to procure a child. Picture: John Weekes

The Brisbane District Court on Tuesday heard Crutch, who was then aged 26, had lied and told the girl he was 18 and had sent her five images of his penis and two videos of himself masturbating.

The girl, whose contact was saved in Crutch’s phone as “my wife”, cut off contact after the now 28-year-old revealed his true age and disclosed he had been in prison for sexual offences.

Crutch, who appeared in court, pleaded guilty to nine offences including seven counts of indecent treatment of a child, possessing child exploitation material, and using the internet to procure a child.

The court heard Crutch had an appalling criminal history which included a conviction for the rape of a 17-year-old girl, carnal knowledge offences against children aged 12 and 15, eight counts of using the internet to procure children and almost 30 grooming offences against separate victims.

A convicted rapist and repeat child sex offender posed as a teenager and exchanged explicit pictures with a child he labelled as “my wife” just months after he was released from prison. Picture: Supplied

Defence barrister James Benjamin said Crutch had suffered a difficult childhood.

“He was diagnosed at a young age with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, specifically Asperger’s syndrome,” Mr Benjamin said.

“Those conditions coloured his upbringing to a significant degree.

“He struggled at school, he struggled socially, he was horrendously bullied throughout his childhood.”

Judge Michael Byrne accepted Crutch’s conditions had some role in his offending.

“You are unable to control that to some degree but I emphasise to some degree,” he said.

“The reality is that many people in the community sitting within a spectrum disorder are able to learn to control certain activities.

“In fact it probably is not easy for you but that is why you must put the extra effort in, because the simple reality is Mr Crutch is that if you do not do something about this reoffending then you will spend the whole of your life in jail.”

Declared dangerous sexual offender Jason Matthew Crutch, who had been in prison since June 2021, appeared in the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday and was sentenced to three-and-a-half year’s imprisonment with time served taken into account. Picture: John Weekes

Crutch, who has been in prison since June last year, was sentenced to three-and-a-half year’s imprisonment with time served taken into account. He will be eligible for parole in May 2023.

“What cannot be doubted is the overwhelming seriousness of the repetitive nature of your offending,” Judge Byrne said.

“Whilst you must be treated with some degree of leniency because of your ailment, you must also be punished and the sentences imposed must reflect the abhorrence that the community finds in this offending.

“It must reflect the fact that you have been treated with leniency in the past and you have continued to offend.”