A Tasmanian man who traded child abuse videos with a dozen strangers on encrypted messaging apps has been jailed for three years.
Ambrose Kevin McDonald, 42, was sentenced in the Supreme Court on Friday after pleading guilty to 15 Commonwealth offences and two state charges.
The Commonwealth charges covered possessing, transmitting and accessing child abuse material. The state charges related to possessing bestiality products.
Australian Federal Police and Tasmania Police searched McDonald’s home in March last year, after the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation flagged him as someone uploading child abuse material.
He was at home during the search and gave officers the passwords to a laptop, a microserver and a mobile phone.
The court heard he had been chatting with other users on various apps under the name “Tazmanian Daddy”, trading material and discussing the sexual abuse of children.
Between November 2024 and February last year, he sent 76 category one videos to 12 separate users, sometimes without being asked.
Some of the material stored on his microserver had been downloaded as far back as April 2013.
Justice Kate Cuthbertson said the material was “highly depraved and revolting”.
She said the offending had only stopped because police turned up at his door.
“This was clearly not a passing interest. Your offending only ceased due to the search,” she said.
McDonald told police he was “a bit of a collector” and admitted to having been sent “bits and pieces” by other people.
The court heard McDonald is an Aboriginal man with no relevant prior convictions, a history of family trauma and diagnoses including complex post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
A forensic psychologist found his offending was driven by sexual gratification and began after his marriage ended, but did not find his mental health reduced his culpability.
Justice Cuthbertson said his personal circumstances had played no causative role and that general deterrence was the most important factor.
“It is important that the court sends a clear message that the protection of children is of the utmost importance,” she said.
“These offences are not victimless crimes. Your access and distribution of such material supports the market for the exploitation and abuse of children.”
McDonald’s sentence was reduced by 25% for his early guilty pleas and his cooperation with police.
He will be eligible for release in March 2028 on a $1,000 recognisance and will be supervised for two years.
