A convicted Illawarra paedophile has faced court accused of sending loved-up emails to an American child actress in violation of the conditions of his child sex offenders registration.
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Police claim an “infatuated” Andrew Morgan wrote a series of gushing letters to the 15-year-old star, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, in which he repeatedly professed his love and asked her to marry him.
”[I] thank you for coming into my world and may I offer you a proposition,” Morgan allegedly wrote in an email dated August 4.
“Would you mind being my wife as I’m finding myself falling in love with you and I’m somewhat unable to resist you.”
Court documents said Morgan wrote 12 emails over the next eight days, each time expressing his love and desire for them to be wed.
The teen did not respond to the emails and they were passed on to her security team, who reached out to NSW Police.
Under the conditions of the CPR, Morgan is allowed contact with only certain, pre-determined children and only if he is supervised.
His alleged correspondence with the actress – who is not on his list of approved contacts – violates that condition, the court heard.
Morgan was subsequently arrest on Thursday morning.
It is alleged he was found in possession of seven child abuse images at the time of his arrest, depicting unclothed males and females aged between 5 and 10.
When questioned about the images, Morgan allegedly told police he’d been sent them about 10 months earlier and didn’t think they constituted child pornography.
In opposing Morgan’s bail application in court on Friday, police prosecutor Sergeant Amelia Wall said police feared for the safety of the community if Morgan was released.
She pointed to a paragraph in one of Morgan’s emails in which he appeared to show no concern that he might be caught, prompting fears he may commit further crimes.
“I just wish to say that if anything happens to me i will always love you,” he allegedly wrote.
“If I’m arrested for talking to you and [put] back in jail I will be thinking of you and I will write to you.”
Defence lawyer Jonathan Kearney said Morgan was living with a “significant mental health diagnosis” of schizophrenia and had the support of his family.
He submitted that the risk Morgan posed to the alleged victim was mitigated as she lived in the US.
However, Magistrate Michael Stoddart refused to release Morgan, noting he had a lengthy criminal record and had previously served prison terms for similar offences.
“He does have significant mental health issues but the real concern is for the protection of the community at large,” he said.
The case will return to court in September.