A BENDIGO man who was found with more than 6000 child abuse images and videos has lost his bid to have the case heard in the Magistrates' Court.
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The magistrate said the offending of Robert Clohesy, 20, was so serious that his guilty plea needed to be dealt with in the County Court.
"It is the most graphic depiction of child abuse material that I have heard in my time at this court," Magistrate Megan Aumair said on Thursday.
In November last year, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation contacted central Victorian detectives about Clohesy's potential possession of child abuse material.
Officers searched the 20-year-old's Bendigo home on December 7 and seized 10 electronic devices. The police executed a second search warrant on December 23 and seized a further six devices.
Detectives analysed the devices and found about 6200 child abuse images and videos.
The material showed infants and children up to the age of 15 years being sexually assaulted by adults and other children. There were also images and videos containing bestiality.
Prosecutor Erin Rutherford detailed the "extremely graphic" material to court and noted the children were visibly crying and distressed in a number of the images and videos.
Police also found two sexually explicit stories that Clohesy had written on his mobile phone, which depicted boys between the ages of 11 and 13 years.
The 20-year-old was arrested after the second search warrant on December 23. During his record of interview, Clohesy admitted to downloading the child abuse material from the 'dark web'.
Clohesy told police he preferred the videos of boys between the ages of 10 and 14 years, and that he usually viewed the material a few times a week and had done so for a "long time".
Clohesy said he would not sexually abuse children in "real life" because he was studying psychology and knew of the harm children faced.
He told police the child abuse material "turned (him) on" although the videos and images of children under the age of six made him "repulsed".
Clohesy said he also felt "queasy" when the abused children started crying.
Ms Rutherford said the prosecution was opposing the defence application because of the seriousness of the offending.
Defence lawyer Danielle Lamovie said Clohesy was a young man who had lacked insight into his "unsophisticated" offending.
Ms Lamovie said Clohesy committed the crimes during a period where he was emotionally isolated and drinking heavily.
The defence lawyer said her client now had a strong awareness of the profound harm his offending had caused, and he was embarrassed and ashamed for his crimes.
Ms Lamovie submitted her application should be adjourned so the defence could obtain more material about Clohesy's mental health.
Ms Aumair said while she accepted more material could provide a more "fulsome" picture of Clohesy, the offending was incredibly serious.
She said the Magistrates' Court had the sentencing provisions to deal with the case but the gravity and volume of the child abuse material meant the lower court should not hear the matter.
The magistrate said Clohesy's personal circumstances were relevant to a plea hearing but would not change her decision.
Clohesy formally entered pleas of guilty to charges of possessing child abuse material. He is due to appear in the County Court in November.
The 20-year-old's bail was extended to his next court date.
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