Mark Coombs, 54, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child abuse material at Shepparton County Court
A Seymour hardware store worker has been busted distributing and possessing sickening child abuse material.
Goulburn Valley
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A Seymour man who possessed and distributed photos and videos of young children performing vile sex acts has pleaded guilty in the County Court at Shepparton.
Mark Coombs, 54, faced four charges all relating to the possession and transmission of child abuse material.
Coombs was supported in court by his son, who takes him to appointments.
Coombs shared child abuse material over a three-month period between June 2021 and August 2021.
The court heard that police became aware of Coombs’ involvement in sharing and possessing the sickening material in September 2021.
On January 21, 2022, police searched Coombs’ house and found him to be in possession of child abuse material, located on a storage device.
Coombs was sharing child abuse material through Instagram and encrypted messenger service Telegram.
Some of the material Coombs was distributing included sexual poses, bondage scenarios and penetration of prepubescent children.
His lawyer conceded that while Coombs’ offending was “depraved” and “serious”, she noted that the number of files sent — 650 photos and videos — was “much less than some comparable cases”.
The defence also noted that the period of offending — a matter of months — was less than other comparable cases.
She also noted that he pleaded guilty at the earliest possible stage and that despite his initial denial at the police interview, he was fully cooperative in the matter afterwards.
The court heard that Coombs suffers from depression and anxiety.
She also noted that clinical psychologist Carla Zechner’s report said that Coombs was a low to moderate risk of reoffending.
The court heard that Coombs has been working as a delivery driver at Mitre 10 for 10 years.
Judge Wendy Wilmoth adjourned the matter part heard, with the rest of the matter to be heard in Melbourne.
Coombs will ideally be sentenced on the same day, Judge Wilmoth told the court.
Coombs was bailed to appear at the County Court in Melbourne on Tuesday, April 23.
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