Ross Collingwood pleads guilty to writing and sharing child sex abuse stories

A Queensland nudist wrote graphic sex abuse fantasies about children that he shared with others online after claiming he was “intrigued” by a group chat.

Proserpine man Ross Collingwood pleaded guilty to making and distributing child exploitation material over 13 fictitious stories he wrote and sent to others online. Picture: Fergus Gregg

A self described “nudist” who wrote multiple graphic child sex abuse fantasies about imaginary daughters and granddaughters which he shared with others online will not spend a single day in jail.

The 63 year old Proserpine man admitted he not only liked the sexual content of his horror fiction, that depicted detailed sexual acts with his made up offspring and orgies with multiple children, but he enjoyed creative development of the disturbing prose.

Mackay District Court heard he shared his stories 13 times with four other people via SimilarWorlds, which is an encrypted social networking app that connects users with shared interests.

Ross Collingwood began using the site for innocent reasons but soon fell in with a group chat that involved child exploitation offending and “found the topics and conversations intriguing, thought provoking and (he was) increasingly drawn in” – he admitted he was also “to a lesser extent, sexually stimulated by it”.

The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children uncovered the offending and on July 23, 2024 police searched Collingwood’s home and seized multiple devices.

“He wrote fictitious stories about him as a nudist,” Crown Prosecutor Ashley Gaden said, adding the latter detail was linked Collingwood’s background that included a 1988 entry for wilful exposure where he opportunistically flashed a woman and 15-year-old girl while walking through a forest.

“In those stories he had a wife, two daughters and two granddaughters who were 13 or 14 years of age.

“He described himself engaging in both vaginal and anal sexual intercourse with his children when they themselves were children and that he now did this with his granddaughters.”

The court heard the descriptions were detailed, “quite vivid” and also included group sex and orgies with multiple children included his imaginary granddaughters.

“Although no real children were exploited to create this insidious content, it cannot be said to be victimless either,” Ms Gaden said.

Proserpine man Ross Collingwood pleaded guilty to making and distributing child exploitation material over 13 fictitious stories he wrote and sent to others online. Picture: Fergus Gregg

“Not only does it seek to normalise the exploitive sexual activities of children, it has a possibility of stimulating a susceptible recipient to engaged in sexual activity involving real children and it continues to fuel demand for a market that is incredibly difficult to combat given the technological age that we live in.”

Police also found four images on one of his devices, sent to him by a woman he had been speaking to on Similar Worlds and who claimed they were topless photos of her when she was aged 15 and pregnant.

Collingwood was charged but has not spent any time in jail on remand.

He pleaded guilty to making and distributing written child exploitation material between August 17, 2023, and May 12, 2024, and possessing child exploitation material, with all offending occurring in Proserpine.

The court heard he was cooperative with police, handing over his password to his accounts, and he also entered an early plea of guilty. As a result of the offending Collingwood lost his job as a security guard and he voluntarily handed over his blue card.

Ms Gaden pushed for nine to 12 months jail and argued there were no exceptional circumstances but accepted this was an unusual example of this type of offending and it was “a fine balancing act”.

Barrister Kate Juhasz, for Collingwood, said there were clear exceptional circumstances, meaning her client did not have to serve actual custody, and instead submitted for two years probation and convictions not recorded.

But Judge Michael Byrne KC asked, “What message is that saying to the community?”
Ms Juhasz said it was accepted the offending was serious, but argued it was at the lower end for these types of charges and that the offending had occurred over a site not specifically relevant to the exploitation of children.

But the 63 year old will not have to spend any time in jail. Picture: Fergus Gregg

She said Collingwood had spent more and more time on the site, which lead to the offending.

“It’s the larger picture that concerning. It’s not a one off isolated act, it’s 13 acts,” Judge Byrne said.

“It’s not the receiving, it’s the keeping of these images.”

The court heard the use of the encrypted app also made it aggravated offending but Judge Byrne accepted Collingwood had not deliberately sought out an encrypted app to share child abuse material, it was a consequence of using the SimilarWorlds platform.

An initial psychological assessment deemed Collingwood as having “partial sexual deviance” but Ms Juhasz the ultimate outcome was her client being found a low risk of reoffending.

The court heard he had the full support of his wife, who wrote a character reference, and he planned to relocate to Bundaberg.

Judge Byrne accepted Collingwood was “both ashamed and remorseful” for his offending, labelling the offending as “not the norm” but that it was no less serious and child exploitation was a “scourge on the whole of the earth”.

“It is atrocious that you have behaved in this way,” Judge Byrne said.

“I am concerned and remain concerned that you did not proactively seek out counselling.”

But because of Collingwood’s extensive co-operation and the low level nature of this type of offending, he was handed eight months jail wholly suspended for 12 months and 18 months probation.

Convictions were recorded and Collingwood will be a reportable sex offender for five years.

Originally published as Ross Collingwood pleads guilty to writing and sharing child sex abuse stories