A JUDGE closed Wagga District Court to the public on Tuesday in order to view two graphic child abuse videos of an infant produced by the baby’s grandmother.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Even a co-accused man was removed from the court so two Corrective Services officers guarding him did not have to watch the disturbing videos shot while the baby was on a change table and while on the back seat of a car.
The accused woman, appearing in court via videolink with a prison, was disconnected for Judge Deborah Payne to view the videos.
The woman and man, both from Young, have pleaded guilty to a raft of charges relating to producing, disseminating or possessing child abuse material.
The woman has also pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a person aged under 16.
The pair cannot be named for legal reasons.
The accused man’s mother and two sisters of the accused woman were in court as sentencing submissions that began on Monday continued.
After barrister Colin Heazlewood tendered some subjective material for the man, Judge Payne made it clear a jail term was the only option.
“You are looking at a number of years at least,” Judge Payne said.
Mr Heazlewood, though, knew that was the situation facing his client.
“I was not going to ask for anything non-custodial,” he replied.
Barrister Christine Mendes tendered subjective material for her client, including a psychological report and personal references.
“Do they know what (the accused) physically did to the child?” Judge Payne asked about the referees.
She was told the referees had been advised of the agreed facts.
The court heard that neither offender had any criminal record before these offences.
The man has been in custody on remand since February 19 and the woman has been behind bars since February 25.
Agreed facts tendered to Wagga Local Court in September when the woman pleaded guilty to seven offences said one video of the woman interfering with her grandchild was found on her laptop.
Up to 1500 images of other abused children were found in another folder on the laptop.
The sentencing hearing continues today.
