Michael Witheford fronts court over sending child abuse material

A vile novelist and musician busted with hundreds of vile child abuse images told police he didn’t believe his actions were “real world stuff”.

Novelist and keen musician Michael Witheford will be released on a recognizance release order after serving four months of his prison term.

A lonely novelist busted with hundreds of vile child abuse material who claimed his actions were not wrong because the children depicted in the images were not distressed has been jailed.

Michael James Witheford, 62, of Northcote, sent the vile images to a mother during an online chat and asked her which of the children she would “have”.

He was sentenced in the County Court on Thursday to 15 months’ imprisonment with Judge Stewart Bayles ordering that he be released on a recognizance release order after serving four months to be on good behaviour for three years.

Judge Bayles said Witheford had not proved that his significant mental health and bipolar disorder meant exceptional circumstances existed where a non custodial sentence could be imposed.

Investigators discovered 439 child abuse images across three devices during a search of his home in February 2024.

Michael Witheford outside the County Court after pleading guilty to possessing and transmitting child abuse material in February.

His offending involved him recording a video chat with a mother of a five-year-old girl on October 13, 2023 where they discussed their sexual interest in children.

Witheford, who described himself as a disability pensioner, sent 30 child abuse images and videos to the woman who described the material as “very sexy”.

He asked her which of the children in the files he sent her she would “have” if she could “choose” from them.

Once she replied, Witheford suggested she tell her husband she wanted an 11-year-old boy before he sent her more child abuse material.

The woman also sent nudes of herself to Witheford after he said he had given her “lots of presents” and had taken her day into “weird places”.

A psychiatrist told the court that Witheford’s bipolar disorder was not linked to his offending but that he likely felt lonely and miserable at the time.

Judge Bayles said while the number of images were at a lower range, they were extremely serious as they dealt with abuse of prepubescent children.

“The possession of child abuse material is not a victimless crime, it provides a market for the creation, supply and exploitation of children that’s required for its production,” Judge Bayles said.