Enrico Delzotto: Mulwala chef sentenced over sick child abuse images

A Mulwala chef with a disgusting child abuse collection has been sentenced in court after his lawyer argued his decision-making was “impaired” because he was depressed.

A Mulwala chef was busted with more than 2000 child porn videos and images on his laptop and other electronic devices.

A Mulwala chef with a disgusting child abuse collection has been jailed after his lawyer argued his decision-making was “impaired” because he was “majorly depressed”.

Enrico Robert Charles Delzotto, 57, was sentenced in Albury District Court on Friday after he pleaded guilty to possess child abuse material obtained using carriage service, and use carriage service to access child abuse material.

Court documents reveal police executed a search warrant on Delzotto’s home on July 1, 2020 where they uncovered 2552 child abuse images and videos across a number of devices.

Videos included adult men penetrating pre-pubescent boys and police also found a link on Delzotto’s phone to “alternative sexuality erotica” with four stories describing incestuous sexual encounters between two seven-year-old boys and their 14-year-old brothers.

The documents show Delzotto admitted the electronic devices were his.

But Delzotto’s defence barrister Philip Boncardo said his offending fell below the mid-range of object seriousness.

Psychologist reports from Roger Blake and Graeme Randall stated that Delzotto had major depressive disorder and a high level of alcohol addiction.

“People who are majorly depressed often have poor sense of moral compass and their level of impulse control is quite impaired,” Mr Blake said.

“In my expert opinion if he wasn’t suffering a major depressive illness his chance of offending would be much lower.”

The court heard Delzotto grew up in regional Victoria where he struggled with his sexuality, eventually realising in his teens that he was attracted to men.

Delzotto’s first sexual experience was when he was sexually assaulted by an older boy at age 12.

The court heard Delzotto started drinking and taking drugs to try and dull his attraction to young boys.

When Delzotto was released from custody in Queensland in 2002 he had no relationships and led a lonely isolated life while working as a chef at Club Mulwala, NSW.

The court heard when police executed the search warrant at Delzotto’s home he was cooperative and provided police with passwords to his laptop and other devices.

Judge Sean Grant said Delzotto had clearly gained some insight into his offending after completing the Men’s Behaviour Change Program, ceasing his alcohol consumption, and participating in counselling.

The court heard after being released on bail Delzotto was harassed by his community with one of his neighbours telling him to leave town or else he would “leave in a body bag”.

The neighbour towed Delzotto’s cars out of the driveway at his Melbourne St home and onto the street.

Delzotto was sentenced to three years and three months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years and two months.

Delzotto will be eligible for parole on August 22, 2023.

Delzotto had previously been convicted in Maroochydore Magistrates Court, Queensland in June 2001 for indecent treatment of an eight-year-old boy who was in his care.

He was sentenced to three years and six months in prison with a non-parole period of 16 months.