Kevin James Patterson pleads guilty to possessing child abuse images

A Qld man will spend just months in jail after he was caught possessing terrible child abuse images involving children as young as two years old. Warning: Distressing content

A Mackay man has been jailed for possessing child exploitation images.

A North Mackay man has been told the children involved in the horrific abuse images and videos found in his possession “suffered terribly”.

Possessing child exploitation material was “not a victimless offence,” Judge John Allen declared.

“The offence has actually harmed real children.”

Mackay District Court heard it was the man’s wife who initially discovered the images of children being sexually abused.

The couple were separated but living together and she uncovered the terrible content on a USB belonging to her husband.

It prompted her to call police who searched the home that same day on October 12, 2022.

In total officers seized 20 digital devices owned by then 51-year-old Kevin James Patterson, four of which contained child exploitation material.

“In total (he) possessed 2936 category one images,” Crown prosecutor Monique Sheppard said.

Of that there were 1594 unique images, as well as 11 videos of the same nature.

Kevin James Patterson pleaded guilty to possessing child abuse images and videos.

“Most concerningly are the ages of the children involved in that conduct … being as young as two years of age being involved in penetrative acts (by adults),” Ms Sheppard said.

“He asserted that he did not have any pedophilic tendencies stating that he didn’t receive any sexual gratification from the images and videos.”

But Ms Sheppard argued this seemed “at odds with other statements he made to police” including that he had not been intimate with his wife “for many years and he in some ways used these to replace that intimacy”.

Patterson pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material.

The court heard he revoked his bail on August 31, 2023, which Ms Sheppard said was indicative of his “remorse, shame and embarrassment” over the crime.

Barrister Scott McLennan told the court as a result of the offending Patterson was asked to leave the family home and ultimately became homeless.

The court heard he was also admitted to the mental health unit, and later went to his GP and sought treatment for his depression.

“Mr Patterson has been clinically depressed for a long period of time,” Mr McLennan said.

The court heard this had continued and had made the time he had already spent in custody more onerous.

Mr McLennon pushed for an immediately suspended sentence.

The court heard Patterson had been deemed a low risk of reoffending.

“You could have under no illusion that very young and real children suffered terribly as result of the production of such images,” Judge Allen said.

“The possession and circulation of such material re-victimises the children.

“You by possessing of such material supported the market for the continuing victimisation and exploitation of children.”

Patterson was jailed for 15 months suspended after serving three months including the 55 days already spent in custody which was declared as time already served.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Kevin James Patterson pleads guilty to possessing child abuse images