An elderly Tasmanian man has been jailed after a Supreme Court judge found he was “fuelling a market” for the “horrific sexual abuse” of children by possessing hundreds of exploitative images.
Kevin Norman Kemp, 82, kept 418 images of child sexual abuse on a USB drive hidden in his bedroom, out of sight from his wife and son.
The Supreme Court heard the material depicted girls under the age of 13 being sexually abused by adults.
Justice Michael Brett said those who possess such images share direct responsibility for the abuse.
“Without people like you, the evil people who create this material would have no reason to do so,” he said.
Kemp admitted to police he had the images for his own sexual gratification – an explanation Justice Brett said “carries little weight in the assessment of sentence”.
Kemp’s only prior conviction was for indecent assault on a girl 55 years ago, for which he was imprisoned in 1970.
The court heard he had otherwise lived a law-abiding life since.
Justice Brett acknowledged Kemp’s age and health issues would make imprisonment “more difficult and therefore more punitive” than for younger offenders, but said this did not reduce his moral culpability.
“In my view the only appropriate sentence is a sentence of actual imprisonment,” he said.
“Those who would commit the offence must also realise that if they do then the only possible consequence is severe punishment.”
Kemp was sentenced to 10 months in prison, reduced from 15 months due to his early guilty plea.
He must serve at least six months before being eligible for parole.
He will also be placed on Tasmania’s sex offender register for three years after his release.
Justice Brett said that while the risk of reoffending was low, he was “not satisfied” Kemp posed no risk whatsoever.
