Michael Hudson: Catalina man sentenced for having 4000 child abuse images

A South Coast man has been sentenced in court after he was busted with a staggering 4000 images on his computer of “pre-pubescent females in various sexual poses”.

Michael Hudson was busted with more than 4000 images of little girls in various sexual positions.

A South Coast man who had more than 4000 images and videos of young girls in various sexual positions has been sentenced for possessing child abuse files.

The offence saw Michael Hudson, 52, wind up in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday where he was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to possessing child abuse material.

Documents tendered to the court reveal the Catalina man’s computer was seized by police on October 12 last year as part of Operation Amarok IV, a NSW Police Force blitz that targeted hundreds of domestic violence offenders between October 11 and 14 in 2023.

Agreed facts state Hudson revealed to officers searching his home that his computer contained various pictures of little girls.

However, he told police the images involved “no sex, just posing”.

Hudson’s seized computer ultimately contained 81 folders holding a total of 4267 photos and videos of the young women, posing in various sexual positions.

Agreed facts state police were of the view the images and videos were “clearly child abuse material”.

Michael Hudson was sentenced in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday.

Police described the material on the 52-year-old’s computer as “pre-pubescent females in various sexual poses and states of undress”.

After investigating the computer, police arrested Hudson on October 23 and he was granted conditional bail.

Hudson appeared in Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday for sentencing after he was ordered to have a psychological assessment.

The Catalina man’s lawyer Samantha Henry said the psychological report found the offending was “out of character” and labelled Hudson as low risk of reoffending.

Ms Henry also said her client was suffering as a result of the details of the offending becoming public, noting Hudson’s family was “shocked”.

“He’s embarrassed and ashamed,” she said.

Ms Henry asked Magistrate Doug Dick to consider a community corrections order rather full time imprisonment given Hudson’s lack of a criminal record and his “good prospects for rehabilitation”.

Mr Dick said he read and studied the psychological report before coming to a decision on how to punish Hudson.

“You’ve acted out of character here and I note you and your wife are scratching your head as to how this came to be,” he said.

“But I need to make sure everyone in this community knows and understands how serious this offence is.”

Hudson was convicted, fined $2000, sentenced to a two year community corrections order and will be monitored by the child protection registry.

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