Townsville Magistrates Court: Leigh Jason Wade sentenced for asking child for naked photos

A man claimed he was having a seizure when he sent a young girl disturbing texts that asked her to send naked photos of herself.

Generic mobile phone. Picture: Istock

A man said the series of disturbing texts he sent to a child were simply an “innocent mistake” as he was wheeled into court for asking a young girl to send him naked photos of herself.

Leigh Jason Wade appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday after it was reported to police that he had sent a girl messages asking for pictures of her vagina.

Police prosecutor Ash Raj said on June 10 last year the then 41-year-old texted the girl, “take pictures of your p-ssy so I can see”, “do this for me, it’s just between us” and “I’m not weird, I’m asking for pics of your p-ssy”.

Authorities searched the man’s Rasmussen home and found the messages on his mobile.

Mr Raj said despite it being a one-off incident, it was very serious as it involved an actual child victim.

When initially interviewed by police he denied the texts, then accepted them but said he must have been having a seizure or talking to someone else.

“The court should take a strong stance on the sexual exploitation of a child,” Mr Raj said, also highlighting that a charge of that nature involved a mandatory jail sentence, unless there were exceptional circumstances proven.

A defence lawyer from Legal Aid Queensland said her client should be sentenced under exceptional circumstances due to his lack of criminal history and health conditions.

She said he was “relatively low risk of reoffending” and had not contacted the girl since.

In 2018 Wade began suffering seizures and was currently in a wheelchair due to sustaining an injury from one of the seizures, to which his lawyer said was exacerbated by his osteoporosis diagnosis.

Magistrate Susan Warrington agreed with those factors, he did not require to spend actual time behind bars.

Wade pleaded guilty to using the internet to procure a child under 16.

He was sentenced to six months jail, wholly suspended for three years. Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Townsville Magistrates Court: Leigh Jason Wade sentenced for asking child for naked photos