Mikhail Caplygin sentenced in Brisbane District Court for one count of possessing child exploitation material

A managing consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers has been sentenced in a Brisbane court after nearly 350 “very disturbing” photos and videos were found on his hard drive.

Mikhail Caplygin – who worked at consulting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers – was sentenced in Brisbane District Court on Wednesday.

A man’s interest in child exploitation material was exposed by his ex-wife when they separated after he asked for his hard drive back which led her to access the device and uncover almost 350 “very disturbing” photos and videos, a court heard.

Mikhail Caplygin – who worked at consulting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers – was sentenced in Brisbane District Court on Wednesday for one count of possessing, and second count of distributing child exploitation material.

The 38-year-old is a management consultant “with a background in advising and transforming organisations across the globe”, according to his now-deleted LinkedIn page. His profile listed his most recent employer as PwC Australia, which has been contacted for comment regarding Caplygin’s current employment status.

Crown prosecutor Cameron Wilkins told the court that when Caplygin was 27 and had just started a relationship with his now ex-wife, he sent her an email “attaching a story which contained child exploitation”.

The court heard Caplygin had written that story and in part of it he even referred to himself in the third person.

When the marriage broke down around eight years later, Caplygin asked for his hard drive to be returned.

“Once she [his wife] was able to gain access to that hard drive, she located child exploitation material and provided that hard drive to police,” Mr Wilkins said.

Police found 293 photos and 40 videos when they analysed the hard drive.

Caplygin’s then-wife is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Caplygin’s LinkedIn page says he works for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Without going into detail, Mr Wilkins referred to Caplygin having made significant efforts to rehabilitate himself prior to Wednesday’s sentencing.

Mr Wilkins told the court that any period of actual imprisonment for Caplygin would have a “significant negative impact” on his rehabilitation.

The prosecution asked for a wholly suspended prison sentence of 9-18 months.

Defence barrister Paula Morreau said Caplygin only distributed the child exploitation material to his then-wife and he was not charged with any sexual activity with children or adults.

Ms Morreau told the court that Caplygin downloaded the child exploitation material onto the hard drive between 2011 and 2015. Police analysed his other devices, but all were clean.

The court heard that Caplygin is not in contact with any children, has shown genuine remorse, and is living with his mother – who was in court to support him – and sister.

Ms Morreau tendered a full psychological profile on her client, noting issues during his childhood “which included some adverse experiences which led to the development of attitudes about sex as a young person”.

She also referred to a past opioid abuse disorder, for which he is now in remission.

Ms Morreau asked for a wholly suspended prison sentence of 6-9 months.

In sentencing, Judge Dzenita Balic described the material as “very disturbing”, adding that the images “sexualised children” and showed them “posing”.

But Judge Balic said, referring to Caplygin’s psychological report, he has never had a sexual interest in children, and the material was attributed to his “oversexualisation of thoughts”.

Judge Balic added that Caplygin and his then-wife had an interest in “pushing the boundaries in terms of sexual behaviour”.

She deemed him a low risk of reoffending and noted his ongoing treatment.

Caplygin was sentenced to six months’ jail, wholly suspended for a period of one year.

Originally published as Mikhail Caplygin sentenced in Brisbane District Court for one count of possessing child exploitation material