A MAN who has pleaded guilty to multiple child-pornography and bestiality charges yesterday told Dubbo District Court he was not sexually attracted to children.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Adam William Quelch appeared expressionless as he sat in the dock before Judge Gordon Lerve.
His parents were supported by a minister of religion as they observed proceedings from the public gallery.
Quelch, 40, was one of 11 people arrested in June last year following a nationwide investigation by the Australian Federal Police.
He has been on remand in jail since August 10, 2011.
The court heard computers and external hard drives were seized from the home Quelch shared with his wife and children when police raided a sheep, cattle and cropping property midway between Narrabri and Bingara.
The raid followed the detection of online activity by a covert police team in Canberra.
Quelch was prosecuted under state and federal child-abuse legislation.
Guilty pleas were entered to charges of accessing, possessing, producing, disseminating and making available child pornography.
The charges related to thousands of images of children, aged from one to 17. Judge Lerve was told the bulk of the images were of pre-pubescent children.
Quelch was charged with seven counts of bestiality after investigators found computer images of sexual acts with animals.
Quelch told the court he accessed child pornography “by accident” during a computer search for “general pornography’’.
“After finding the (child abuse) images I was curious and looked for more. At the time I didn’t really think about what I was doing. I didn’t think about the exploitation or harm being caused to the children (in the pornographic photographs). I deeply regret what occurred. I am sorry for my actions and the impact on my family,” Quelch said.
The court heard Quelch used the terms “jail bait” and "pre-teen hardcore" to search for child pornography.
He made 10 folders of child pornography available to other people through internet file-sharing websites.
Quelch gave evidence to say he did not think he was sexually attracted to children.
“I am working with a doctor about what has occurred and why,’’ he said.
Quelch’s 62-year-old father, Edward, gave evidence in support of his son.
He pledged to do everything possible to provide assistance and supervision when Adam returned to the family property after his eventual release from jail.
Lengthy legal discussion was held about the level of criminality of each of the child pornography charges.
Judge Lerve said he needed time to consider sentencing.
A decision will be handed down in coming weeks.
