Mason Rose Fuller in court for possessing, distributing child abuse material

A woman who shared ‘absolutely appalling’ child abuse videos has managed to avoid prison, telling the court she had no idea how they got on her phone.

Mason Rose Fuller appeared in Brisbane District Court after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing child abuse material. She avoided jail after the judge accepted she was “easily led” and possibly on the autism spectrum.

A Bundaberg woman convicted of distributing and possessing child exploitation material has been spared jail, after a Brisbane District Court judge found exceptional circumstances in her case, but issued a stern warning that she may not be shown mercy again.

The case was heard in Brisbane on Thursday, with the sentencing broadcast live via audio into the Bundaberg District Court.

Mason Rose Fuller, who had no criminal history, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material.
Both offences carry a maximum penalty of 14 years’ jail.

The court heard Fuller was in possession of disturbing videos reported to police via her Google, Facebook, and Snapchat accounts.
Police located the same disturbing material across multiple devices.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren described the content as “absolutely appalling”.

“This is not a victimless crime,” she said.
“The children depicted in those videos are real. They’re victimised. They need protection … they need to be protected from you.”

In a police interview on September 4, 2024, Fuller said she didn’t know how the material came to be on her phone.
But Judge Rosengren said that excuse would not be accepted again.

“You do engage in this product,” she said.

“If you ever appear before a court again and say, ‘I didn’t know,’ a judge is going to say, ‘You’ve already heard that excuse, and you were given leniency for it.’”

Mason Rose Fuller told police she didn’t know how the disturbing videos ended up on her phone — a claim the judge said would not protect her if she ever reoffended.

The court was told Fuller had been communicating with strangers online, including through group chats with people hiding behind bizarre usernames.
She said videos would randomly appear on her phone after she was added to chats and that she participated in conversations and shared content.

“If you want to hang out communicating with strangers on social media platforms … people you don’t even know from a bar of soap … getting you to do things and you just do them — if what they’re asking you to do is bad, and you just do it, you might well find yourself sitting inside a jail cell,” Judge Rosengren warned.

“I think you’ve learnt the lesson of your life.”

Mason Rose Fuller appeared in Brisbane District Court after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing child abuse material. She avoided jail after the judge accepted she was “easily led” and possibly on the autism spectrum.

A psychiatric report tendered to the court suggested Fuller may have mild autism and suffered from anxiety that may affect her ability to work. The report also confirmed she was in the lowest percentile in an IQ test.
The court heard she lived with her parents and was in a relationship.
Judge Rosengren acknowledged her mental challenges and said she was “so sorry” for her, but made it clear the primary concern was protecting children.

“Your circumstances have been placed on the record so that if you ever set foot in a courtroom again, the judge will know exactly why you were here,” she said.

Judge Rosengren accepted that Fuller’s lack of criminal history and the psychiatric evidence amounted to exceptional circumstances, meaning she did not have to serve an actual prison term.

Instead, she was placed on probation for two and a half years.

Mason Rose Fuller was placed on two and a half years probation, with the judge warning her: “If you breach this order, you can be re-sentenced — and that could mean prison.”

The order included attending counselling as directed, notifying authorities of any change in residence or employment within two business days, not leaving Queensland without written permission, submitting to medical or psychiatric treatment if required, and Judge Rosengren warned Fuller that strict compliance was expected.

“If you breach this order, you will be brought back before the court and you can be re-sentenced for those original offences, and that can involve a term of imprisonment,” she said.

Originally published as Mason Rose Fuller in court for possessing, distributing child abuse material