A RETIREE who was nabbed with more than 20,000 “disgusting” child exploitation images and almost 900 videos has been sentenced to two years in a West Australian prison.
Norman Lindsey Martin, 64, pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material in October last year after police seized a computer tower, a portable hard drive and 10 discs containing images and videos of girls aged between 10 and 15.
In a pre-sentence report, Martin asked about his offending: “What’s so bad about it?”
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READ NOWHis lawyer told the WA District Court that Martin knew his actions constituted abuse but he was not as culpable as someone who had touched a child or distributed inappropriate material.
Judge Felicity Davis said the children were still victims who were being “distressingly” sexually abused.
“When these children are posing for photographs and undertaking these video recordings, they are not just being abused at that point in time,” she told Martin.
“That’s just the time that’s captured on the material in your possession.
“The abuse of these children often continues for an indefinite period of time, and often continues for as long as there is demand for child pornography.
“I have no doubt that these girls will be damaged by what has been done to them.”
Judge Davis said some files were “particularly disgusting, depraved and offensive”.
The court heard Martin was a loner with no substance abuse issues or previous criminal record.
Martin must serve at least one year behind bars before he can be eligible for parole.