An Illawarra predator who masqueraded as a 13-year-old boy to manipulate three young girls into sending him explicit pictures will spend at least four years locked up.
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Alex James McPhie was arrested in August last year following an 18-month investigation after he coerced a 10-year-old girl into sending him images of her privates.
After police raided McPhie's home, they uncovered a disturbing stash of child abuse material, depicting girls as young as three.
The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to six offences including two counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material and using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material.
McPhie lowered his head at Wollongong District Court on Thursday as Judge Siobhan Herbert sentenced him to six years behind bars for his "callous" offending.
The court heard McPhie messaged a 15-year-old cheerleader from America on Instagram and asked her for nude pictures in January 2019.
McPhie then manipulated the girl into undressing on a Snapchat call by sending her a screenshot of a drafted email to her school - alerting them to the images she sent him.
He told the girl it would be all over within 10 minutes. But the disturbing call - in which McPhie masturbated himself while he continuously demanded the girl to take off her clothes and touch herself - lasted 36 minutes.
"Why me though, you have porn," the girl asked.
"Because I chose you ... I'll send the email now then," McPhie replied.
A year later, McPhie posed as a 13-year-old boy under the Snapchat username 'Matty34' when he asked a 10-year-old girl for her picture, replying with "you made my willy get all excited".
McPhie then pushed her into sending two pictures of her vagina, saying he had "never seen a girl's privates before".
The girl's 11-year-old sister confronted McPhie on the app and told him to delete her. He then threatened to distribute the 10-year-old girl's images "all over Wollongong" if she didn't also send images of herself.
"You made the choice, enjoy your sister being a sl--," he said.
The girls disclosed the incident to their parents and it was reported to police on December 31, 2019.
After officers raided his Albion Park address, child abuse material - including the photos and videos sent by his victims - were located on two of his iPhones.
In taking to the witness stand, McPhie said he committed the offences during a period of loneliness when he moved to the Riverina.
Defence barrister Jack Hibbard added McPhie had suffered extra-curial punishment after publication of his charges in the media led to people egging his home and cutting off his power.
Judge Herbert said McPhie was a "young man who had every advantage in life" and didn't accept his claims that he wasn't sexually attracted to children.
"The victims suffered significant mental harms as a result of his offending," Judge Herbert said.
"There is a degree of cruelty as the (15-year-old) child was clearly distressed in the call."
McPhie was handed a non-parole period of four years, making him eligible for release in April 2027.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
