Mitchell Stark sentenced for trying to procure child on Snapchat

A former trolley boy thought he was talking explicitly with a teenage girl online. She was in fact an undercover police officer who led authorities straight to his door.

Mitchell Bradley Stark (right) leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods

A Kuluin man has received no conviction after he tried to coax a “14-year-old girl” into sending him nudes after randomly adding her on Snapchat.

Unbeknown to Mitchell Bradley Stark, he was in fact conversing with a Victorian police officer, operating under the moniker of “Hannah” to catch predators lurking online.

Legal officer Alastair MacKenzie told Maroochydore District Court on Monday how the 27-year-old added “Hannah” on Snapchat and sent messages on October 28 last year.

Mr MacKenzie said Stark sent numerous sexually charged messages from November 9 to 11 to “procure” the child, even after being told by “Hannah” she was 14-years-old.

This included discussing sexualised topics which included asking for nudes and sexualised photographs. He also sent pictures of his penis and asked for video calls.

The conversations between Stark and the police officer were too graphic for publication.

The 27-year-old later blocked the account, which prompted Victorian Police to inquire with Snapchat about the user. The tech giant provided authorities with the email address used to register the account, which led police to Stark’s Kuluin home.

His home was raided, where striped shorts depicted in some of the exchanged photographs were found.

Stark was charged with using the internet to procure a child and pleaded guilty to the charge in court on Monday.

Mr MacKenzie cited the “intense” grooming period over three days, and how Stark had no regard to the “illegality” of his messaging even when he was told of the fictional account’s age. This included “pressuring” the fictional child to send nude photographs and take part in video calls.

Stark (right) leaving court. Picture: Patrick Woods

The prosecuting solicitor pushed for the Kuluin man to serve time behind bars and believed there were no exceptional circumstances to allow for him to stay in the community.

Defence barrister Mark Dixon however argued there were exceptional reasons for Stark to remain in the community, and cited medical reports which spoke of the 27-year-old’s diagnosis of autism, along with his intellectual disability. Stark also had no criminal history.

Mr Dixon said the former trolley collector and kitchen hand wished he never engaged in the conversations with the fictional teen and believed he betrayed his family’s trust with his offending.

The barrister said Stark still had the support of his family and had prospects of rehabilitation, which would be better served by a probation order in the community.

Judge Glen Cash expressed that Stark’s intellectual impairment and autism contributed to the 27-year-old offending. He also believed Stark’s risk to children existed but was not significant, and could be mitigated through supervision and support. These factors combined made the case exceptional, he told Stark who was standing in the dock.

Stark was placed on a two year probation order with no conviction recorded.

Originally published as Mitchell Stark sentenced for trying to procure child on Snapchat