Jarrod Andrew Swanson in court for making child exploitation material

A former warehouse worker who claimed he did not get sexual enjoyment out of sharing and possessing child exploitation material has pleaded guilty to fresh sickening charges for the third time in five years.

A Nanango man who previously said he did not get sexual enjoyment out of sharing and possing child exploitation material has pleaded guilty to new sickening charges for the third time in five years. Picture: Istock

A Nanango man who previously said he did not get sexual enjoyment out of sharing and possessing child exploitation material has pleaded guilty to new sickening charges - for the third time in five years.

Jarrod Andrew Swanson, 42, pleaded guilty to one count each of making child exploitation material, contravening a requirement from a police office by refusing to produce a digital device, giving false or misleading information to police, and failing to comply with reporting by not disclosing social media accounts when he faced Kingaroy District Court on May 21, 2025.

The court heard police searched Swanson’s address on September 16, 2024 after concerns were raised with them.

When police questioned him, Swanson told them he had lost his mobile phone several weeks earlier and didn’t use a specific email address police had on file for him. The court heard both claims were found to be lies and his phone was soon located in the fireplace.

It heard he also lied to police about the social media and messaging apps he had downloaded onto the phone, which violated his reporting requirements.

When police analysed the Nokia phone, they found a Google Chat from earlier that month where Swanson had exchanged “messages of a sexual nature” with another person, who has not been identified.

Swanson was taken into custody at this time.

Crown prosecutor Toby Corsbie told the court the other person allegedly had access to a four-year-old girl and the two shared messages about what they wanted to do to the child.

Crown prosecutor Toby Corsbie told the court the unidentified person in the chat allegedly had access to a four-year-old girl and the two shared messages about what they wanted to do to the child.

“Ultimately, the defendant both encouraged the other user to sexually assault the four-year-old and he himself fantasised about raping the child,” Mr Corsbie said.

The exact content of the messages were not read aloud in the courtroom, however it was revealed the defendant shared “in considerable detail” the sexual acts he wanted the other person to do to the child.

The police also found multiple social media accounts on the phone, including Snapchat, Plenty of Fish and Kick.

“What we have here is someone who is willing to engage with a stranger and encourage the sexual abuse of a child,” Mr Corsbie said.

The court heard Swanson had a lengthy criminal history, primarily drug and property offences, beginning in 1999, which was consistent with a “habitual drug abuse habit”.

Mr Corsbie said this was Swanson’s third conviction relating to possessing or distributing child exploitation material in the past five years.

The court heard the defendant had been charged with possessing 31 images and sharing 22 videos via WhatsApp in 2020 and using the encrypted messaging app, Signal, to distribute 10 videos and two images in 2022.

In both previous convictions, Swanson said he was intoxicated with methamphetamines and in one instance he said he “did not get any sexual gratification from the material”.

Judge Carl Heaton (pictured) said Swanson had “demonstrated persistence” in his offending, which would impact the sentence he would receive. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Swanson’s defence barrister, Mr Beard, said he agreed that a prison sentence was the right punishment in this matter, however as “appalling” as the messages were, there was no evidence any child was directly harmed.

“Whilst any offence of making child exploitation material is serious, there is in fact no evidence that an actual child was harmed in respect in the making of this material,” he said.

Mr Beard said his client had completed at least one sex offenders program and drug rehabilitation course while previously incarcerated.

The court heard Swanson had a strong work history, and had worked as a forklift driver, in warehousing and car detailing for most of his adult life.

Mr Beard said his client suffered from some mental health issues, and his ambitions once he was released were “to obtain some employment and remain offence free”.

Judge Carl Heaton said Swanson had “demonstrated persistence” in his offending, which would impact the sentence he received.

He said Swanson did not immediately take accountability for the offences, telling police other people had been using his phone.

He also said Swanson’s continued offending showed a pattern of “abhorrent “ behaviour towards underage children and he continued to be a risk to the community.

“Offending of your type is not a victimless crime,” he said.

“In feeding the appetite for this sort of material, there is a risk that more children would be harmed.”

Judge Heaton took the 247 days Swanson had already served into consideration and sentenced him to two and a half years jail with a parole release date of September 15, 2025.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Jarrod Andrew Swanson in court for making child exploitation material