Luke Robert William Taylor sentenced over child exploitation material

A Queensland man sharing heinous child abuse material told police he couldn’t remember the code to his fully-charged phone.

A judge slammed a Mackay man for possessing and distributing “vile and depraved” pornography, some of which featured infant babies.

A judge slammed a Mackay man for possessing and distributing “vile and depraved” child abuse material, some of which featured newborns.

Police searched Luke Robert William Taylor, 34, Northern Beaches home on April 11, 2024 and discovered he used encrypted messaging app Session to send child exploitation materials to a number of other people over a nine and a half week period.

They also found a second phone, which Taylor claimed was old and he could not remember the PIN for, despite it being fully charged.

After searching the phone police found more child exploitation material and evidence the phone was used recently.

In total, 55 videos and 288 images were found depicting pre-pubescent boys and newborn babies, with some suspected images also found on Snapchat.

Taylor pleaded guilty to 16 charges of distributing child exploitation material, two charges of possessing child exploitation material and one charge of contravening an order relating to a device.

Following a police search of the second device Taylor was arrested and spent three days on remand from May 4 to May 7, 2024, before he was again released on bail.

Defence Barrister Scott McLennan said Taylor was the subject of sexual abuse as a child and had untreated trauma.

“There is some evidence of a cycle of abuse where the abused becomes the abuser,” Mr McLennan said.

“My client in my submission has strong prospects of rehabilitation.”

Taylor’s mother was in court and cried throughout the entire sentence.

District Judge John Coker said the possession and distribution of child exploitation material was not a victimless crime.

“The use by people of such material for their own gratification … it feeds into the production of more material,” Judge Coker said.

“Children throughout this country and, in fact, throughout the world are victims.”

Judge Coker said it was clear Taylor was distributing the material to a significant number of people and said his offending was related to “degrading and despicable” behaviour towards children.

“I acknowledge that it was not you who participated in the actual direct abuse of those children,” he said.

The court heard Taylor had no criminal history and, as a result of his offending, lost both his job and relationship.

Judge Coker said he noted Taylor’s mother in court and said she was very distressed to see her only son in court.

“She did her absolute best in relation to raising you,” he said.

“There were traumas and difficulties within your childhood and I note the indications given of abuse perpetrated upon you as a young child of eight by a neighbour.”

He took into account Taylor was committed to engaging with the sex offenders treatment plan, but said his offending was horrendous.

“You knew what you did was wrong, you knew that it was unacceptable,” he said.

“You indicated that you chose to ignore the consequences because it was a short term fix for your own sexual gratification.”

Taylor was sentenced to three years imprisonment and a parole eligibility date was set for January 10, 2026.

“It strikes me that you have led a blameless life until circumstances got to a stage where you offended in a dreadful way,” Judge Coker said.

“For what it is worth I wish you well.”

Three days of pre-sentence custody from May 4 to May 7 were declared as time served and convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Luke Robert William Taylor sentenced over child exploitation material