Bradley Hidding: Riverside man, son of Rene, jailed for perversions

Thousands of vile images and videos depicting some of the most depraved child abuse imaginable were found on devices of “porn-addicted” Tasmanian father-of-four Bradley Hidding.

A 46-year-old Tasmanian man, the son of long-term MP and former leader of the opposition Rene Hidding, will spend four months in jail over his vile stash of child exploitation material.

Riverside man Bradley Maxwell Hidding pleaded guilty to three charges, accessing and possessing child exploitation material (CEM), and using a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a child.

He was sentenced in Launceston Supreme Court on Thursday.

The offences were detected following a search warrant executed on April 30, 2020.

Between March 20 – April 30, 2020, Hidding downloaded 1816 CEM files.

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“Most of which depicted real pre-pubescent children either engaging in or witnessing sexual acts or were images focusing on the child’s anal or genital region,” Justice Pearce said.

“I have seen a sample of the images. Some examples further described to me are of naked children in sexual or suggestive poses but some of whom are subjected to sexual acts of a highly degrading and depraved kind.”

The using a carriage service to engage a child charge related to a ‘live stream’ of a 10-year-old girl in which Hidding participated. Hidding made multiple sexual comments to the girl.

The court heard Hidding had a good employment history in the building and hardware industry, but lost his job when the current charges were made public. Hidding is a father-of-four who has been divorced twice, but is in a new relationship.

“As to the impact on your family I have read letters from your father, your former wives, your partner, a Reverend from your church and a long term acquaintance. All attest to your otherwise good character, in particular to your value as a father,” Justice Pearce said.

Hidding told a court-appointed psychologist he “developed an addiction” to pornography from the age of 15.

The defendant denied “any sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children but that does not seem... to be consistent with the nature of (his) interaction with the child shown on the live stream in whom (he) actually demonstrated a sexual interest,” Justice Pearce said.

Hidding was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with release after four months, conditional upon him entering a two-year good-behaviour bond with $5000 surety.