Broome man sentenced to 16 months jail for possessing and distributing child exploitation material

A District Court judge has lambasted the State Government over the lack of facilities to treat sex offenders in the Kimberley during the sentencing of an offender being jailed for possessing nearly 2000 images of disturbing child exploitation material. The man from Broome, who cannot be identified due to a suppression order, appeared before Broome District Court on Tuesday charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material. The court was told police raided his home on April 3 last year and seized electronic devices, including his mobile phone, after authorities were notified of his activity involving the distribution of child sexual abuse material. It was revealed the man had been banned from the social media app, Snapchat after he sent a category one child exploitation material image to another user in October 2022. The 35-year-old cooperated with police but initially denied the allegations, saying he had not used Snapchat for “about five years” before later admitting during police interviews he had child exploitation material on his mobile phone. He pleaded guilty to the charges in July last year after successfully obtaining a suppression order. Police discovered 1900 images and two videos of category one child exploitation material involving girls between five and 13 years of age being sexually abused by adult men and animals. Adult pornography and images of bestiality were also found on the man’s mobile phone, with multiple search entries including “vintage teen nudes”. The man said he was unaware bestiality was illegal and denied sexual attraction to children. Defence lawyer Nick Brookes said his client had been bullied as a child and struggled to bond with his mother, who consumed significant amounts of alcohol, choosing to “soothe” himself with sexual activity and drug use. “That event triggered his preoccupation with sex from a young age,” Mr Brookes said. Mr Brookes said his client had also disclosed on the day of his sentencing that he had been sexually abused by a neighbour as a child, appealing for a suspended sentence due to his co-operation with police. State prosecutor Cameron Henderson argued the nature of the offending was too serious to suspend and warranted a deterrence for the man who was “using it as a coping mechanism”. Judge Linda Petrusa agreed an immediate term of imprisonment was the only appropriate sentence for the man and jailed him for 16 months. She also recommended he participate in a sex offender treatment program when presented with the opportunity. Judge Petrusa then criticised the State Government for not having facilities to treat sex offenders in the Kimberley, saying it was “a sad day for the justice system” in their efforts to rehabilitate offenders. She acknowledged the findings of a psychological report outlined mental health issues and an inability to regulate emotions, but highlighted the offender still chose to download child abuse material. “You were intrigued and curious of the images,” Judge Petrusa said. “It doesn’t matter whether you deleted it straight away, you downloaded it and you looked at it.” Judge Petrusa also revealed the 35-year-old had a criminal record from a sexual offence in 2010 and was meant to be “transparent” about his internet use. “You engaged in this activity while being monitored, and the fact you got away with this is extraordinary,” she said. Judge Petrusa ordered the destruction of his mobile phone and made him a reportable offender before sentencing him to 16 months imprisonment, backdating to February 28.