A CENTRAL Victorian man who was caught with more than 10,000 child abuse images and videos is appealing his prison term.
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Shaun Thomas Williams, 45, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to possessing child abuse material.
Magistrate Trieu Huynh sentenced Williams to six months in jail, but the 45-year-old was released on bail ahead of his appeal.
The court heard on February 25 last year, police seized Williams' Apple iPad and iPhone. There were 10,910 child abuse images and videos found on the devices.
The material showed girls as young as four years old being sexually abused by adult men and women.
There were also photos of naked children in sexualised poses.
The court heard Williams was arrested and interviewed at the Kyneton Police Station. He provided no-comment responses.
The 45-year-old has a previous conviction for similar offending.
In his sentencing remarks, Magistrate Trieu Huynh said it was clear the offending was at the higher end of seriousness.
Mr Huynh said he accepted Williams was remorseful as the 45-year-old said he felt ashamed and disgusted by his actions.
Williams also voluntarily completed a program addressing sex offending.
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But the magistrate also noted that Williams had limited insight into his offending and his rehabilitation prospects were "guardedly optimistic".
Mr Huynh said offending relating to child abuse material needed to be denounced in the strongest terms as it was abhorrent.
The magistrate said given Williams' prior convictions, a jail term with a lengthy community corrections order was the only appropriate sentence.
Mr Huynh convicted and sentenced Williams to six months in jail with an 18-month community corrections order.
Williams will also be on the sex offenders register for 15 years.
If Williams did not plead guilty, he would have been jailed for 10 months with an 18-month community corrections order.
Williams' defence lawyer Sofia Ribeiro said her client would appeal the sentence and the 45-year-old was released on bail.
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