Sean Madler-Edwards, 27, guilty of using carrier service to procure child under 16 for sex
A Bayside Church helper who tried to groom a 14-year-old girl online, only to discover she was an undercover officer, has sobbed in court as it was revealed he told police he “knew if was bad” but continued as it “felt a bit taboo”.
Inner South
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A perverted church volunteer who groomed an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl via social media with promises of cash for lewd photographs has avoided a jail sentence.
Sean Madler-Edwards, 27, who sobbed through his appearance in the County Court on November 21, was given a six-month suspended jail term after pleading guilty to using a carrier service to procure a child under 16 for a sexual act.
Madler-Edwards aka “Aussiefin 7777” began messaging someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl named “EJ” via Kik in November 2018.
EJ – an undercover police officer – said Madler-Edwards’s messages became “increasingly sexual in nature”.
He told the girl she looked “gorgeous” and offered pay for “cheeky” photos of her.
“The cheekier the photos, the more (you) will be paid,” Madler-Edwards said via text.
“I’ve never done anything like this,” EJ replied.
Madler-Edwards texted the girl about lewd acts he wanted to do to her.
When EJ told Madler-Edwards she was 14, the depraved former Vicinity Centres employee replied: “You’re a young one” and “I’m not disappointed”.
He pressed for the two to meet up, asking “Are you ever home alone” and “What would you want if we met?”.
He persisted with his offer to purchase photos of the girl in a “tight swimsuit” or “as far as she was prepared to go”, urged her for a “face-to-face” meeting to give her money and when she said she was at school, asked her for a “sneaky pic at school now”.
Police arrested Madler-Edwards at his workplace and seized his work phone in February this year.
Madler-Edwards told police he “knew it was wrong” and he “felt bad” but was “chasing this” because it “felt a bit taboo”.
The court heard Madler-Edwards was a Bayside Church volunteer who became addicted to porn involving teenage girls.
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Judge Mark Gamble said Madler-Edwards’ offending was “by no means minor”.
“(It’s) abhorrent and to be deplored,” he said.
However, Judge Gamble was satisfied Madler-Edwards – who has refrained from pornography since his arrest – has shown “genuine remorse”.
“He is not entrenched in a criminal lifestyle,” Judge Gamble said.
Madler-Edwards six-month jail term was suspended for two years.
He was given a $2000 fine, placed on the sex offender registry for eight years and will need to complete a sex offender program.