A man who molested two young girls in the state's central west could only spend three years behind bars.
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At Dubbo Local Court on Thursday, April 18, the 34-year-old from Dubbo was sentenced to 58 months in prison with a non-parole period of three years and two months.
The charges against him included sexually touching two girls, aged eight and 11. To protect the identity of his victims he cannot be named.
Magistrate Gary Wilson said it is "unusual" such serious charges would be dealt with through the Local Court which imposes lower maximum sentences than the District Court.
"These kinds of matters rarely come through this court... it's beyond me how that happens," he said.
"There is no doubt in anyone's mind as far as I'm concerned that these are significant and serious charges."
As well as pleading guilty to the offences against the two girls, the man pleaded guilty to the possession of child abuse material.
In December 2022, local police received an alert from the NSW Police Force Child Exploitation unit that the man had uploaded child abuse material to a Google drive.
In February 2023, police executed a search warrant of the home the man shared with his mother and multiple devices were seized, including his mobile phone.
On the mobile phone police found 1,117 files of child abuse material including 600 graphic videos and images of sex acts being performed on prepubescent children - some toddler age.
The remaining 517 files depicted CGI adults and animals performing sex acts on children and infants.
Police say the material found on the man's phone represented "the most serious end of the spectrum for this type of offending".
Magistrate Wilson agreed.
"Fortuitously, I have not had to view [the files] and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone," he said.
He said given the seriousness of the offending he had "no alternative other than full time imprisonment". He said one victim was receiving ongoing counseling as a result of the man's actions.
For the two counts of intentionally sexually touching the girls he was charged to 14 months and 24 months. For possession of child abuse material he was given an additional 20 months behind bars.
"Thank you for your time, your honour, have a great day," the man who appeared via AVL from Bathurst Correctional Centre said, responding to the sentence.
The man will be eligible for release on August 8, 2026.
