A university student who possessed child abuse material depicting "highly depraved" acts has told police he watched videos because "it was interesting" and "it was different".
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In a series of messages found by police, the offender was asked by his partner if he liked "pedo stuff".
"Mhhm," the offender replied.
Archer Fergus Dunnicliff, 20, previously pleaded guilty to possessing and soliciting child abuse material.
A redacted and agreed statement of facts provides some details about Dunnicliff's offending, including that he possessed 49 videos and 10 images on two USBs.
The discovered files depicted 151 different child victims.
Prosecutor Cecelia Pascoe told the ACT Supreme Court during a sentence hearing on Friday that the Crown was seeking an order for the forfeiture of the two devices.
"Ur my only other pedo friend so I like to talk abt it heh," the partner messaged Dunnicliff.
The court heard Dunnicliff's soliciting charge related to the "sexualised conversation" between the offender, aged 19 at the time, and his partner, aged 17.
In the February 2022 conversation, said to have been instigated by the partner, the pair discussed exchanging "cp", meaning child pornography, on the Telegram messaging app.
"Send cp", the offender messaged.
"Okie one sec!" the partner responded.
Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson addressed the gravity of Dunnicliff's offending during the man's sentence hearing.
"It's clear these are not victimless crimes," the judge said.
"Real children are abused for these images and these crimes have lasting effects.
"Just because something is on a screen does not mean real people are not being harmed in the world."
Defence barrister Katrina Musgrove said Dunnicliff's 2022 arrest sent her client's life "into absolute turmoil".
"I realise my behaviour was not only inappropriate and insensitive but contributed to the production of this material," the offender wrote in an apology letter to the court.
"I now feel as if I am a horrible person and my actions will have people view me as something I'm not."
Dunnicliff initially told police he did not possess any abuse material, only coming across some by accident years prior on someone else's computer.
He admitted to accessing the "dark web" to view forums in about 2019, including a chat room for child abuse material to "see what was on it".
The offender also said he was embarrassed and ashamed by the fact he viewed the material.
Ms Musgrove said the "highly remorseful" man had lost his employment with Telstra and that difficulties with future employment were "a natural consequence" of his offending.
"He was fired when they became aware of the charges," Ms Musgrove said.
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The court heard Dunnicliff initially had not consented to an intensive correction order, being a strictly supervised prison sentence served in the community.
The offender reportedly changed his tune when Ms Musgrove "bluntly" told him: "You either walk out the back door into the AMC or you consent to an intensive correction order."
While judges have on past occasions been asked to inspect sample books of seized child abuse material during sentencing proceedings, Ms Pascoe said her officer no longer required this.
"I'm so glad to hear that. Some things cannot be unseen," Justice Loukas-Karlsson said.
"It seems to me the description is enough."
Dunnicliff is set to face court again next month.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Bravehearts 1800 272 831; Blue Knot Foundation 1300 657 380.
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Tim Piccione
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
