Goonellabah man David Standing pleads guilty to soliciting child abuse material

A Goonellabah man will face sentence after pleading guilty to trying to groom an underage girl, a court has heard.

A Goonellabah man will head to sentence after trying to groom an underage child via messages, a court has heard.

David Allan Standing, 60, appeared via videolink at Lismore Local Court on Wednesday as he pleaded guilty to charges of child grooming.

The court heard Standing will plead guilty to two counts of using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for sexual activity, using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, and three counts of failing to comply with reporting obligations.

Three further charges of failing to comply with reporting obligations will also be considered upon district sentence.

Police attached to the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad began engaging with Mr Standing in August last year.

They will allege he believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl, involving explicit conversations and sending explicit material.

They will further alleged he arranged to meet the “girl” for a sexual encounter.

He was arrested in Lennox Head just after 9am on September 13, 2

A grey-haired Standing was heard humming to himself as an arraignment was set during his appearance.

Standing will face Lismore District Court arraignment on August 22.