James Wray: Chef stockpiled 900-plus child abuse images from ‘dark web’

Penrith chef James Wray, 28, used cryptocurrency on the dark web to purchase and stockpile hundreds of graphic child abuse videos and images. He has now been sentenced to prison.

Wray had more than 900 child porn files in his possession (generic picture).

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A western Sydney chef who stockpiled hundreds of graphic child abuse videos and images, paid for by cryptocurrency on the dark web, has been sentenced to jail.

James Glenn Wray, 28, quivered in the dock as the reality of his paedophilic behaviour, which was uncovered following a tip-off from US Homeland Security, hit home in Katoomba District Court on Friday.

The Penrith man, supported by his partner and mother in court, had browsed ‘dark web’ website ‘Welcome 2 Video’ using specialist software between May 2017 and February 2018, paying Bitcoin to download more than 50 child porn files.

When his home was raided in July last year, police uncovered across five electronic devices more than 900 files of child pornographic material, generally involving young girls aged between 10-14 in graphic sex acts with adult men.

A 28-year-old man will spend time in jail after he was found with more than 900 child abuse images.

Wray had an altered image of animated Disney character ‘Wreck-it-Ralph’ in sexualised pose with a girl character from the film, and files of child porn with children as young as four.

When the search warrant was taking place, Wray asked a police officer not to let his partner know what was happening.

Judge Jennifer English said the graphic content was “distressing” viewing and questioned how the exploitation of children can lead to sexual gratification.

“The relative anonymity of the internet … enables networks of paedophiles to exchange this filth,” she said.

“The role of the court is to protect the most vulnerable in society. What the court hopes to achieve is to reduce the market for child pornography.”

Wray was convicted of accessing and possessing child abuse material and was sentenced to three years and six months in jail. The 28-year-old will be eligible for parole in December next year.