Matthew Craig: Nowra man busted with child abuse, bestiality material

A south coast man already on the child protection register has been busted possessing child abuse and bestiality material on his computer.

Matthew Craig.

A man on the child protection register has been busted on the NSW south coast with more than 1000 sexual cartoons of pre-pubescent boys and bestiality material.

Matthew Craig, 41, was arrested with more than a thousand sexual cartoons of pre-pubescent boys, as well as cartoons and animated videos of women and animals on his computer at his Nowra home.

The discovery led to Craig – who was on the child protection register due to prior, unrelated offences – being charged with possessing child abuse material, possessing bestiality material and failing to comply with reporting obligations.

Craig, who is in custody at the South Coast Correctional Centre, previously pleaded guilty to the charges.

Documents tendered to the court reveal police visited Craig’s Nowra home on May 26 last year, following suspicions he possessed the prohibited material on various devices.

Matthew Craig’s case was heard in the Nowra District Court.

Agreed facts state officers searched a number of Craig’s devices, before discovering cartoon images on his computer of women along with dogs, horses and moose on his computer.

Police also discovered a number of sexual animated videos, displaying women and horses.

During the search, police discovered a separate folder filled with sexual cartoons of young boys and adults.

Court documents reveal Craig had a total of 1053 child abuse and bestiality files on his computer.

Agreed facts state Craig informed officers during the search that he downloaded the material in bulk and wasn’t entirely sure what he had.

“I don’t even look through them,” agreed facts state he said.

“I haven’t even looked at not even half of them.”

Court documents reveal Craig was downloading the material between August 2022 and May last year.

Possessing the material also broke Craig’s child protection register conditions.

The Nowra man was arrested, refused bail and placed in custody the same day.

In the Nowra District Court on Monday, Craig’s lawyer Emma Harrison said her client was ready for sentencing.

Judge Jennifer English agreed on the date, adjourning the matter.

Craig will appear in person for his sentencing.

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