R v Payne-Moore

The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory heard a case against Bradley Payne-Moore who pleaded guilty to charges of using a carriage service to possess and access child abuse material. The charges were in relation to the possession of 137 child abuse material files and the access of 7 child abuse material files over specified periods. The court had to decide on the legal issues surrounding the objective seriousness of the offence, the subjective circumstances of the offender, and the appropriate punishment. The court considered the gravity and depravity of the material, the number of children victimised, the duration of the offending, and the need for general deterrence. The court also took into account the offender's background, his cooperation with authorities, and the extra-curial punishment he had already faced. The court ultimately decided on a sentence of 12 months' imprisonment for each offence, with a 3-month accumulation for the possession offence. The court also made a forfeiture order for the electronic devices used in the commission of the offences. The court emphasised the paramount importance of protecting children and the need for general deterrence in cases involving child abuse material.