Matthew Ellis Atkins: Tweed dad pleads guilty to possessing child abuse material

A Tweed Heads father has told police an extortion bid was at the heart of his downloading of child abuse material. Read what was said in the court documents.

A Tweed Heads father claimed he downloaded child abuse material to gain trust of paedophiles so he could extort them for money according to court documents.

Matthew Ellis Atkins, 49 pleaded guilty in Tweed Heads Local Court on Monday to possessing child abuse material.

According to court papers throughout the police investigation Atkins maintained that he searched for and possessed child abuse material for the purpose of identifying paedophiles on the internet so he can extort them for financial gain.

Matthew Ellis Atkins pleaded guilty to possessing child abuse material.

Police searched Atkins’ address on February 25 where they located a Samsung mobile, two iPads and numerous handwritten notes were located with login details for websites known for hosting child abuse material.

Atkins admitted he used the iPads in relation to child abuse material and went on to explain that intention was to extort paedophiles by first gaining their trust, intentionally accessing and disseminating child abuse material.

After a forensic search of the devices police located numerous naked photos of pre-pubescent girls and searches for terms including “year 3 schoolgirl” “schoolgirl upskirt and “grandpa f*** boy” as well as browsing history for know child abuse material host websites.

Police also saw Atkins had accessed a folder titled “my 9-year-old daughter” with an address that included one of his usernames, which police allege indicates he was likely the owner of the contents in that file.

Atkins‘ matter was adjourned to May 16 where he is expected to be sentenced.