Richard Spry: Glenwood man fights child abuse material charge

A man who police allege was found with child abuse material on his phone during a sting into a child abuse ring will fight the charge with cops set to rely on video taken during a search of his home.

Glenwood man Richard Spry, 48, leaves Penrith Local Court. He is charged over the possession of child abuse material and has pleaded not guilty. Picture: Kate Lockley

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A man from Sydney’s north west who was charged during an sting on an alleged child abuse ring operating in NSW and Queensland will fight the allegation.

Richard Martin Spry 48, of Glenwood, will fight one charge of possessing child abuse material which police allege was found on his phone in May this year.

He faced Penrith Local Court on bail on Friday where he formally pleaded not guilty to the charge.

An initial charge of possessing or controlling child abuse material using carriage service has since been withdrawn.

Glenwood man Richard Spry, 48, leaves Penrith Local Court at an earlier mention. Picture: Kate Lockley

Spry was one of four men charged over their alleged roles in a child abuse ring earlier this year.

The allegation will now be contested at a hearing, set down for May 17, 2021. The court heard the hearing could take up to four hours and would rely on video taken during a search warrant of Spry’s home.

Spry’s defence solicitor said he had an association with Grant Harden, 30, of St Marys, who faces charges over the alleged sexual abuse of four boys and the production of child exploitation material.

Grant Harden, 29, of St Marys, left, and Richard Martin Spry, 48, of Glenwood, have been charged as part of a federal police investigation into child abuse material. Picture: Facebook

However, the court heard Spry’s links to Harden had “no direct relevance” to his alleged offending.

Harden faces 10 charges, including: sexual intercourse with a child under 10, three counts of intentionally touch child under 10, bestiality, two counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, two counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material, and one count of possessing, controlling or producing child abuse material.

The charges come after the Australian Federal Police’s Operation Arkstone began probing an online network in February following a tip off from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Spry will return to court in December for AVO proceedings which arose out of his arrest.