Duane Charles Robertson jailed over accessing, possessing child abuse material

A Curlewis man was caught with a collection of hundreds of child abuse videos, a court has heard.

Duane Charles Robertson fronted Geelong Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to two child abuse material charges.

A Bellarine IT worker admitted to having a years-long problem after being busted with “vile” child-abuse material.

Duane Charles Robertson, 41, appeared in the County Court at Geelong on Monday and pleaded guilty to accessing and possessing child-abuse material.

Judge Gerard Mullaly jailed Robertson for 26 months, however, he is to be released on a 28-month Recognisance Release Order (RRO) after serving 14 months.

The court heard Robertson’s IP address was flagged as sharing known child-abuse material using peer-to-peer software in October and December 2022.

On October 2, 2023, officers from the Australian Federal Police’s Joint Anti Child-Exploitation Taskforce (JACET) raided his home in Curlewis.

Analysis revealed that across three seized devices, Robertson was in possession of 407 files containing child-abuse material, including 290 unique files, the vast majority being videos.

The court heard the material depicted real pubescent and pre-pubescent children between the ages of five and 16 being sexually abused.

One video was of Robertson himself masturbating while watching child abuse material, the court heard.

The Geelong Advertiser has chosen not to publish further details of the “cruel and callous” material’s content.

The court heard Robertson told police, among other things, that he had “a problem” with accessing the material dating back 15 years

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Mullaly noted that although Robertson did not share the material, it was because of users like him “evil criminals” who directly exploited children had a market, and that accessing such material re-victimises the young victims.

“The corrupt nature of this offending is the victimisation of children endures,” Judge Mullaly said.

Much of the plea hearing surrounded the question of whether or not Robertson’s circumstances met the test of exceptional circumstances and if he could avoid time behind bars.

Robertson’s lawyer, Ashlea Patterson, told the court her client had no prior history and had been undergoing treatment since the offending came to light.

Ms Patterson submitted that Robertson’s frank admissions and co-operation with police, his early plea of guilty, his lack of prior criminal history, his strong family supports and good prospects of rehabilitation combined to meet that test.

Judge Mullaly concluded that although those aspects were mitigatory to varying degrees, a jail sentence was necessary.

Judge Mullaly noted Robertson was found to be a moderate risk of reoffending in general, but an above-average risk of reoffending online and remained “at risk of falling down that dreadful tunnel”.

Judge Mullaly found Robertson’s moral culpability was “very high indeed” and only slightly mitigated by undiagnosed depression; Robertson knew his “dreadful, abusive behaviour” was wrong.

“It should not be forgotten that each video represents the rape or sexual abuse of a child,” Judge Mullaly said.

He told the court Robertson’s conduct was a “serious example of these grave and deplorable crimes”.

Robertson, who was supported in court by his sister and parents, must register as a sex offender for 15 years.

Originally published as Duane Charles Robertson jailed over accessing, possessing child abuse material