Mitchell Pennington: child abuse material found by AFP on tradie’s phone

Federal police found child abuse material so unspeakably vile on a Sydney joinery apprentice’s phone, other people in a Sydney courtroom left the room rather than listen to the horrific details.

Federal police busted a Sydney joinery apprentice red-handed viewing horrifically graphic child abuse material of infants and children under 14, a court has heard.

Mitchell Pennington, 26, was charged with possessing child abuse material after Australian Federal Police discovered a particular Kik account was accessing vile images and videos of female children from an IP address registered to Pennington’s home.

A raid conducted at Pennington’s Menai address in September 2021 after the AFP tipped off NSW Police uncovered sickening child abuse material on his devices, including pictures and videos of children as young as under 10.

Mitchell Pennington, 26, was convicted of possessing child abuse material at Sutherland Local Court on January 18 2022.

The nature of the material, which was described in detail in court, is too distressing to be repeated.

The details were so shocking and disturbing others waiting their turn at Sutherland Local Court stood up and left the courtroom rather than listen any more.

Pennington pleaded guilty to the single charge and faced Magistrate Phillip Stewart to learn whether or not he would be taken to jail on January 18.

Intensive corrections orders – or jail terms that are served entirely in the community – are not available as sentences for sexual offences, which means offenders are only eligible for a far less onerous community corrections order or a full-time prison sentence.

“Every image of a child, whether static or video, being abused means that child is a victim,” Mr Stewart said.

“It seems this material comes from people in developing countries – not necessarily, but often – and there are limited means of protecting those children.”

After consideration Mr Stewart spared Pennington full-time imprisonment and instead sentenced him to a stringent three-year community corrections order which will require him to perform 500 hours’ community service and participate in a sex offenders’ program.

“The amount of material you possessed was not extensive but still grotesque,” Mr Stewart said.

“There needs to be great weight given to general deterrence by making the community aware of the sentences imposed by the courts for this kind of offending.”

The court heard Pennington had no prior criminal record and had previously held two long-term relationships with “appropriately aged” women, with a forensic psychologist deeming he had no specific fixed interest in pre-pubescent children and posed a low risk of reoffending.