Christian Lock allegedly groomed a little girl, her mother says they were ‘cut off’ by the justice system

A Bendigo mother who exposed a child sex offender to police says she has been “let down” by a justice system more interested in protecting predators than victims.

Bendigo man Christian Lock pleaded guilty to possessing and producing child abuse material.

A Bendigo mother who helped take down a child sex offender says she has been “let down” by the justice system after charges relating to her daughter were withdrawn when the vile sicko took a plea deal.

Christian Lock, 50, pleaded guilty in Bendigo Magistrates’ Court to one count each of producing and possessing child abuse material.

The court heard Lock had filmed three little girls dancing sexually on a bed “pretending to be strippers” while he laughed and encouraged them.

Vile Bendigo pedo Christian Lock was released on appeal bail just hours after he was jailed for filming little kids.

Sex crimes detectives uncovered the video in a raid on Lock’s house after the mother of one of his alleged victims reported the predator was allegedly grooming her daughter on Snapchat.

Sex crime detectives also uncovered more than 13 hours of video and more than 1000 images of child abuse material of children aged from infancy to teens and vile videos of women being raped and mutilated with knives.

But the mother said she was left “voiceless” after the predator took a plea deal.

The charges laid by police relating to her daughter were withdrawn, and she was “cut off” by the justice system after the two year ordeal.

She said her family had lived in fear for their daughter’s safety as Lock was “walking around in the community these last two years” while on bail, knowing where they lived and where their daughter went to school.

Bendigo man Christian Lock was on bail, not spending a day in custody since the charges were laid.

But now Lock will never be convicted for the alleged offending that the mother reported to police, leading to his ultimate conviction.

“Lock was one of those predators that almost went unnoticed after all the trust was there from the start,” she said.

“We willingly sent our daughter over to this man’s house … we felt at ease letting her have sleepovers and playmates there.”

She said the charges against Lock relating to the allegations not proceeding had left them unable to find closure, with the legal system delivering justice to his victims, but “not our child”.

She said she was “promised justice” but she was “let down” by the justice system and left in “limbo”.

The mother of an alleged victim of Christian Lock said her family was devastated they were unable to get closure after charges relating to their daughter were withdrawn on a plea deal.

“We her parents feel such a distressing amount of grief. It’s unjust and we have nowhere to go now but to try and pick up the pieces.”

For producing child abuse material Lock faced a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail – however the maximum jail sentence that can be imposed in the magistrates’ court is five years.

Magistrate Trieu Huynh, who said he denounced the offending in the “strongest terms”, sentenced the pedophile to four months jail to be followed by a 24 month community corrections order. However, the sex offender was released on appeal bail mere hours later.

The mother said Lock’s penalty was “a joke” and it was “ridiculous” that he was released back into the community while on bail.

“I think he’s just a coward, and he’s just completely getting away with doing the wrong thing and he will do it again,” she said.

“Unfortunately the justice system is pretty unjust.

“There is so much protection for the predators … and the victims and just left to sit with all this s– t.”

Victoria Police was contacted for clarification on the withdrawal of charges against Lock. A spokeswoman said the organisation was unable to comment as the matter remained before the court.