Parents’ worst nightmare: Girl intercepted hours before sex with child exploitation collector, Caedan Logan

A man who organised to meet with a child for sex was caught with hundreds of “depraved” child exploitation videos, with titles like ‘toddler rape” and “six-year-old Indonesian wh-re”. Here’s why he walked free.

Darling Downs man Caedan Logan leaving the Toowoomba Courthouse on Thursday, February 22, after his bail was amended. Police changed the young man with multiple child sex offences.

When the concerned parents of a 14-year-old girl reported a regional Queensland man was grooming their child, they had no idea the depths of “depravity” officers would uncover on his laptop.

Hundreds of videos and photos of children, from the age of six months, being raped or sexually abused were found on Caedan James McKay Logan’s electronic devices when police raided his Toowoomba home.

The sick stash included 365 videos and 370 images of real children being sexually abused which were deemed as the most serious kind of child exploitation material.

The Toowoomba man was spared jail time after pleading guilty to using the internet to procure a child for sex and possessing child exploitation material, before the Toowoomba District Court on Wednesday, November 26.

Toowoomba man Caedan Logan was originally charges with eight offences which included, procuring a young person for sexual purposes, involving a child in making child exploitation material, using a hidden online network to obtain child exploitation material, and possessing and controlling child exploitation material for use online.

Barrister Scott Lynch, instructed by Bouchier Khan Lawyers co-director Nathan Bouchier, successfully argued that exceptional circumstances prevented the 20-year-old from having to serve mandatory jail time.

In chief was Logan’s longstanding autism diagnosis, with Mr Lynch tendering a medical report stating there may have been a causal link between Logan’s autism and offending, and he didn’t have the capacity to appreciate the seriousness of his crimes.

However, Crown Prosecutor Peter Blake-Segovia said Logan was well aware that he was engaging in illegal activities as he told the girl he was scared of being caught and urged her not to tell anyone about their online ‘relationship’.

The court heard Logan met the girl by chance before talking to her through Snapchat, where he pressured her to send naked pictures, and organised a time and date for the pair to meet and have sex.

Just hours before the pair were set to meet, the girl’s parents saw the messages on her phone.

Mr Blake-Segovia submitted Logan should serve time behind bars, given the serious nature of the charges which involved a child Logan was actively pursuing in tandem with the possession of the most “depraved” child exploitation material (CEM) available.

“Six-year-old Indonesia wh-re,” was the title of one of Logan’s videos.

“Toddler rape anal,” was another.

Logan will not be subject to the Qld government’s child sex register.

Barrister Lynch said other than Logan’s autism, other relevant features of his ‘exceptional circumstances’ included his young age, that ‘relationship’ with the girl was mutual, that Logan said he hadn’t watched or looked at the CEM for some time, that jail would be more onerous given his social difficulties, and that he’s been “publicly shamed by local media”.

Mr Lynch said Logan was working as a fitter and turner when he committed the offences, where he was allegedly mocked and ridiculed by his co-workers.

“That employment came to an end after he first appeared in court, there were photographs outside court who were local press…. and he was then dismissed,” he said.

“In addition to that dismal, there’s what’s referred to as public shaming of him.

“A pedophile flyer was left on the corner of his street, and also people came to the house and were banging loudly on the front window.

“He doesn’t leave the house unless he has medical appointments.

“Public shaming is a feature to take into account in any sentence that is imposed.”

Mr Lynch said other factors that lent toward a more lenient sentence were that he had not reoffended since being charged two years ago, he had no criminal history, and was deemed to be a low risk of reoffending.

“He’s been on bail with the condition that he not have contact with her or indeed any other children, and that’s been a detriment to the family and himself for gatherings… he’s not been able to attend,” he said.

Judge John Allen KC was persuaded by Barrister Lynch’s argument that Logan be spared jail and no conviction being recorded. Picture: File

Judge John Allen KC said he took into account Logan’s instructions that he wasn’t actively looking at the CEM, the relatively small age gap between Logan and the child, that she was a willing participant, and the reports correlating his autism to his offences.

Judge Allen said a doctor reported the relationship Logan started up with the child may have “provided an escape from” the alleged bullying and harassment from his former work colleagues.

“And in relation to (CEM), the viewing of conventional adult pornography may have assisted with your relief from (work) stress and indirectly contributed to your affliction to (CEM) material,” he quoted the medical professional.

“(He) found that your capacity for social reasoning and judgment was impaired, and your capacity to identify and manage your emotional and behavioural responses was also likely impaired, as was the capacity to realise the seriousness of your offending behaviour.”

Judge Allen said the combination of all the mitigating features met the threshold of ‘exceptional circumstance,’ and that jail time might expose him to bad influences and undue his rehabilitation efforts.

“You did start a school-based apprenticeship.. but suffered bullied because of social deficits… and in fact lost that employment following publicly regarding you had been charged with these matters,” he said.

“There was a degree of public shaming.”

He said Logan was well supported at home by his parents and an NDIS carer.

Logan was sentenced to a two-year probation order and had no conviction recorded.

“Your (autism) may diminish your prospects of (work)… and convictions being recorded would exacerbate that,” he said.

“I also take into account the apparent lack of a need for you to become subject to the Child Protection Offender Reporting Act provisions.

“You’re being given a chance.”

He warned Logan if he breached his probation order, he was at risk of being resentenced, which would likely lead to a conviction being recorded on his record.