Former teacher Peter Edwin Dunn, of Terrigal, sentenced for possessing horrific child abuse material

A retired teacher jailed for possessing sickening child abuse material told police he was “glad” he was finally caught as his “addiction” had spiralled out of control.

Peter Edwin Dunn, 68 of Terrigal, was sentenced in Gosford District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to possessing child abuse material.

A former teacher jailed for possessing sickening child abuse material told police he was “glad” he was finally caught as his “addiction” had spiralled out of control.

Peter Edwin Dunn, 68 of Terrigal, was sentenced in Gosford District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to possessing child abuse material.

Dunn told Australian Federal Police officers on March 22, 2023 that he was glad they finally unearthed his horrific material.

“I’m glad. It’s like an addiction, I can’t stop,” Dunn told police.

Police located 2256 files during a search of Dunn’s home, with just over 1000 files considered to be category one child abuse material.

AFP officers also seized three electronic devices and two hard drives.

Category one material is material depicting a real pubescent child under 13 years of age involved in a sex act or witnessing a sex act or material focus on the anal or genital region of the child.

AFP officers also seized three electronic devices and two hard drives belonging to Peter Edwin Dunn. Picture: iStock

Most of the files Dunn viewed contained images and videos of children from two to 16 years old posing in swimwear or with their private parts exposed.

The court heard sickening examples of some of the files which Dunn viewed however, they are too graphic and disturbing to outline.

Peter Dunn, 68 of Terrigal, was jailed for possessing child abuse material.

The court also heard that Dunn turned to viewing child porn when his wife was going through menopause.

The court also heard that at the time of the offending he was facing stress within his family unit and that he felt isolated.

Dunn told a psychologist he viewed child pornography as a way of coping with insomnia and reported increasing pornography use since his sexual relationship with his wife ended 20 years ago.

Dunn said he began to seek out child abuse material for sexual gratification purposes.

Police located 2256 files during a search of Dunn’s home, with just over 1000 files considered to be category one child abuse material. (File picture)

Judge Tanya Bright said general deterrence was a key factor when determining the appropriate sentence.

“The damage done to children may be, and is, undoubtedly profound,” Judge Bright said.

“It is callous because each time the material is viewed, the offender is reminded of and obvious pictorial evidence of that exploitation and abuse and its degradation it causes.”

AFP Detective acting Superintendent Stuart Millen said the AFP remained committed to protecting the community’s most vulnerable – our children.

“Unfortunately, online child abuse material is not rare, and is a focus for the AFP and other law enforcement agencies,” Det Supt Millen said after Dunn’s sentence.

“Anyone who views this material is committing a crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators.”

Dunn retired from teaching in 2008 due to a medical condition.

Dunn was sentenced to a maximum term of 18 months jail with a non-parole period of nine months.