Steven Capsis: son of Rev George Capsis jailed for possessing child abuse material
The son of a highly respected religious leader, once-aspiring politician and NRL chaplain who had hundreds of depraved child abuse images and videos has learned his fate in court.
St George Shire Standard
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The son of a well-respected Sydney religious leader has been jailed after police found more than 400 sickening child abuse images on multiple devices in his home.
Steven Capsis, 48, learnt he will spend at least the next three months and 12 days in prison for possessing and accessing the child abuse material after facing the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday.
His father Reverend George Capsis, who supported his son in court, hugging him before he was led away by sheriffs, ministered the Cronulla Sharks’ most high profile players while serving as the club’s chaplain in the 80s and 90s.
The court heard on November 13, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Capsis’ home in South Cronulla and seized six electronic devices including USB drives, a laptop and a hard drive, on which they later found 438 child abuse images and videos.
Some of the material he had involving children described to the court is too distressing to repeat.
On the laptop, police also found a child abuse video, as well as the search and download data for that video, which closely corresponded with child abuse videos found on four of his other devices.
For this, he was charged with using a carriage service to access child abuse material.
The court heard Capsis, who lives with his parents, had felt “misunderstood his entire life” and felt a barrier to maintaining intimacy with anyone besides his family.
He started using drugs in the mid 1990s following feedback they made him more social and fun.
Capsis had some training as an electrician and had previously studied dramatic arts, and had worked a number of jobs over his life.
At the age of 48, he was yet to enter into a committed relationship, and had formed certain attitudes about women including that he preferred sweet and innocent partners, the court heard.
The court also heard Capsis thought his history of head traumas might have something to do with his offending.
In a letter to the court he “apologised unreservedly” and said he felt “deeply ashamed” of his offending.
The court heard he was currently attending treatment, and had close and supportive bonds with his parents.
His father, in his own letter to the court, said he was a “good son with a kind, friendly nature and a strong work ethic”.
Judge Jennie Anne Girdham, speaking generally, called the possession of child abuse material “callous and predatory” and said this “material cannot come into existence without the exploitation and abuse of children”.
She said those who produce the material “feed upon exploitation and abuse”.
Judge Girdham said each time an offender watched such material “the offender (was) reminded of the exploitation and abuse, and the degradation that causes”.
In sentencing, she said there was no evidence Capsis had shared the images or received payment for the images and that it was only for personal use, and acknowledged his motivation for treatment.
She said she was satisfied he was both contrite and remorseful.
Judge Girdham sentenced him to a head sentence of one year and six months for the possession charge, and nine months for the accessing charge.
After backdating the sentence to take into account the 202 days he had already spent in custody and a recognisance order, Capsis will be eligible for release on March 14, 2022.
He will then be on parole for eight months and subject to a two year good behaviour bond with supervision, the court heard.
The Reverend has been a constant figure at his son’s side throughout his court dealings.
Mr Capsis has previously run for NSW and federal parliament as a Christian Democrats candidate and once received a NSW Government Community Service Award for his years of outreach to people affected by addiction and homelessness
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