A “sexually adventurous” Illawarra man caught with child porn, a cache of female underwear and a loaded gun stashed inside his blacked-out panel van has been sentenced to 4½ years behind bars.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Benjamin Hart was discovered alone inside the Toyota van one night in August last year after police saw the vehicle parked in a deserted carpark on the Primbee shoreline.
They found a large bag of women’s underwear in child and adult sizes, USB devices containing thousands of child porn images and videos, a loaded revolver and small amounts of methamphetamine and cannabis.
They also reported the vehicle had been modified, with lining fixed to walls to make the van sound proof and a single leather chair installed frontways in the middle of the cargo area.
Hart was arrested and remanded in custody, eventually pleading guilty to child pornography and weapon charges.
He expressed his remorse for his actions in a signed affidavit considered by sentencing judge Andrew Haesler on Friday, saying he was prepared to undergo sex offender programs recommended by his psychologist.
“It was wrong for me to be viewing those images and videos,” he said.
“I realise that young children were being abused and their lives were being ruined for the sexual gratification of others. I also know I shouldn’t have had the guns; I know that my mental instability and drug use meant there was the potential for catastrophe.”
A psychologist tasked with interviewing Hart said the 38-year-old admitted being “aroused” by the child abuse material and had described himself as “sexually adventurous”.
He told the doctor he watched a diverse range of erotic movies including transgender, pregnancy porn, urination, defecation and bestiality and had an ongoing “underwear fetish”, that included children’s undies.
The court heard he also admitted to being a long-time cannabis smoker and had used the drug ‘ice’ daily for the past decade.
Judge Haesler labelled the possession of child pornography “a callous crime”, saying it took no imagination to understand the harm done to the children involved.
“There are legitimate outlets for sexual feelings,” he said.
“They do not and cannot include material that exploits children.”
Judge Haesler set a non-parole period of 2½ years.
With time served, Hart will be eligible for release on parole in February 2020.