A young central Victorian man who sent images and videos of himself sexually assaulting a small child to another person will spend four years in a youth justice centre.
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The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in the County Court in October to 12 charges including sexual penetration of a child aged under 12, sexual assault of a child aged under 16, bestiality, producing child abuse material, using a carriage service to be sent child abuse material, using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, and possessing child abuse material.
The man began using a messenger service in August 2017 to talk to a person he believed was a woman, but was another man.
Over the course of about six months, the offender had conversations through messages about the sexual abuse of children, and sent the person numerous images and videos of a sexual nature involving the young child, including material showing him sexual assaulting the child.
He sent videos of himself involved in sexual acts with dogs, and received material depicting child abuse.
The man also asked the person for sexual images of one of their young relatives.
The Australian Federal Police raided the man’s home after receiving a tip-off from the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
The man told police he began abusing the child because he was pushed by people he was in contact with, and said he had not abused another child.
He also told police he was not sexually attracted to children, and threw up the first time he abused the child because he was disgusted with himself.
The court heard a psychologist assessed the man’s emotional maturity as that of a 12 to 15-year-old, and he helped police find the person with whom he had been in contact.
On Tuesday, Judge Lisa Hannan sentenced the young man to a total of four years in a youth justice centre.
The man will also be on the sex offender register for life.
If it were not for the man’s guilty plea, Judge Hannan would have sentenced him to a term of adult imprisonment.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
