Stephen Knipe fronts court for grooming minors over months

An emotionally “stunted” sex grub says he groomed minors online as an alternative for sex and to manage mood swings.

Stephen Knipe has gone to jail for grooming minors online for sex and transmitted child abuse material.

A man without a social life who groomed minors online as an alternative for actual sex and to manage mood has been sent to prison.

A visibly unwell Stephen Knipe, 59, admitted a slew of charges and appeared in the County Court on Friday for sentencing.

They included 11 charges of grooming a child for sex, eight of either soliciting or transmitting child abuse material, four of procuring a child with an intention to engage in sexual activities and two of possession of child abuse material.

Judge Michael McInerney told Knipe that given his ill health, he could keep sitting down throughout sentencing, even towards the end when defendants are normally asked to stand up when the actual sentence is delivered.

Knipe committed the offences over a nine-month period in 2022.

Knipe was sentenced to three years and 10 months in jail and has to serve 32 months before being eligible for parole.

Judge Michael McInerney said 58 videos and 13 photos of child abuse material were seized from Knipe as part of police investigation.

Stephen Knipe was arrested after police found 58 videos and 13 photos of child abuse material.

He said Knipe had been communicating online with people overseas and expressed an interest in engaging in sex with children under 16 outside Australia, including in the Philippines.

Among his many conversations were discussions of his desire to have sex with a 10-year-old, dreaming of him masturbating and sending sexualised messages detailing his sexual desire and request for sex with a particular person’s daughter.

His lawyer told the court Knipe used online activity as an alternative for actual sex and to manage his mood.

He had had no social contact with women and his offending was as a result of his pedophilic disorder, it was submitted.

That disorder, and a depression diagnosis, could not be disregarded, Judge McIrerney said.

Knipe was a “stunted” person with no social skills that resulted in his unrestrained and naïve conversation with minors online, the judge said.

However, he said Knipe has been assessed as not exhibiting predatory behaviour as far as children were concerned.

“It’s clear that Mr Knipe has a simplistic appreciation of the harm and potential harm of such crimes.”

He had been in custody for 387 days prior to his sentencing.