Tristan Burbridge: Accused of child abuse material offences
A man from Sydney’s southwest accused of sharing child abuse material and accessing Russian internet sites to “satisfy his needs”, has applied for bail.
Macarthur
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A Leumeah man accused of possessing and sharing child abuse material, including accessing Russian internet sites to “satisfy his needs”, has failed in a bid for bail in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tristan David Burbridge, 26, was charged with eight offences in November with it being alleged he possessed and shared child abuse material depicting children as young as four years old in sex acts with adults.
He has been charged with using a carriage service to access child abuse material, possess and share child abuse material and four counts of contravening a prohibition order by accessing social media websites, including Reddit and Omegle. No pleas have yet been entered.
Burbridge, who appeared by videolink in Campbelltown Local Court, offered through his lawyer to live at a halfway house near Newcastle, not access the internet, use a phone, drugs and alcohol in strict home detention.
His lawyer told the court the coronavirus pandemic had made jail “more onerous” for Burbridge, who has a history of mental health concerns including depression and anxiety.
The court also heard the 26-year-old had made admissions of his alleged offending.
Magistrate George Breton said, if convicted, the Leumeah man faces a “substantial period” behind bars.
“The concerns are, in my view, further offences and endangering the community,” he said.
“The facts would indicate that he was accessing services in Russia to satisfy his needs, by his own admission.
“He had a very strict set of obligations as a result of his entry on the Child Protection Register. The community is at a great risk, if he is released, that he would commit more serious offences.”
The matter will return to Campbelltown Local Court next month for charge certification.