UK man amassed 700-plus child sex abuse images in three years
A man downloaded more than 700 pictures of horrific sex abuse involving children as young as three.
Unfortunately, the rest of this story is behind a paywall. Why they would put stories of child sex abuse behind a paywall is baffling to me.
A working group for the memorial wanted it placed in the town's all-ages playground, but the local shire blocked their request.
"We want that awareness of child sexual abuse out there to prevent it ever happening again," advocate Kaye Anderson said.
"The locations that they've given us around Katanning are in the back streets where there is no foot traffic."
Three of Kaye Anderson's sons attended the hostel in the mid-80s, with the eldest two reporting acts of sexual violence against them. Neither are still alive. (ABC News: Jake Sturmer )
Ms Anderson said the working group was now considering placing the memorial outside Katanning, to avoid interaction with the local shire and ensure it has a prominent location.
Shire proceeding carefully
Katanning Shire President Kristy D'Aprile said the council did not want to rush the project.
Kristy D'Aprile did not confirm whether she would consider a formal apology. (ABC News: Anthony Pancia)
"Obviously it's a really sensitive issue," she said.
"We want to make the decisions, as do the working group, to ensure the best outcome for both the victims and their families, and the community of Katanning."
Ms D'Aprile said consultation with victims still living in Katanning needed to be completed, along with state government approvals.
"We have no interest in prolonging the process or prolonging the trauma of victims who live in our community, in the Great Southern or Western Australia," she said.
"We certainly will be reaching out for an update on how the state government are progressing.
"This is an issue that has been a dark cloud over Katanning for a very, very long time.
"We would like to come to a place where we can resolve our history, acknowledge our history and find a constructive way to move forward."
Waiting for local apology
Statement from female impacted by 'sexual predator' heard in court hearing
A Thunder Bay man convicted of several child exploitation and abuse offences could spend a total of 16 years behind bars.
A sentencing hearing was held for 38-year-old William Joseph Daniel Hubbard before Justice Stephen Wojciechowski at the Thunder Bay Courthouse on Friday.
Hubbard pleaded guilty in September of 2023 to possession of child sexual exploitation and abuse material, luring, and one count of making child sexual exploitation and abuse material.
The charges date back to May of 2023 following an investigation by the Thunder Bay Police Service. Hubbard was found to be in possession of 589 unique files of child sexual exploitation and abuse material, including more than 270 videos.
Hubbard pleaded not guilty to one count of making child sexual exploitation and abuse material and was found guilty by Wojciechowski following a brief trial.
The charge was related to a video that was taken by Hubbard of an underage girl without her knowledge. Wojciechowski ruled the video constituted child sexual exploitation material, as the footage was saved six times and could be viewed as sexual in nature.
During the sentencing hearing on Friday, a single victim impact statement was read to the court by Crown attorney Heather Bracken.
The individual, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, said her life was forever changed by the offence.
"I have been unable to see the world normally," the statement reads. "Everywhere I go I wonder if there are cameras or why men are looking at me on the bus."
Bracken argued for a total global sentence of 16 years in custody minus time served.
Bracken said the total number of materials in Hubbard's possession, as well his numerous chats of a sexual nature with individuals under the age of 18, are serious aggravating factors in this case.
"The sum total of those facts can leave this court with no doubt that Mr. Hubbard is a sexual predator," she said.
Other aggravating factors cited by Bracken include the age of the victims and the lasting impact the offences will have on the victims.
"We won't know the full impact on the victim," Bracken said. "This is something she will carry for the rest of her life."
Defence counsel Robert Habjan acknowledged the seriousness of the offences on which Hubbard was convicted and that they do require a penitentiary sentence.
But Habjan argued a sentence of five years in custody less time served to be followed by three years of probation will provide Hubbard with proper supervision and counselling upon his release. Hubbard is credited with approximately 4.4 years in custody.
Wojciechowski is expected to deliver his decision on sentence later this fall.
Former prosecution team leader jailed for child porn previously directed primary schools
A former Public Prosecution Service team leader from Doetinchem who was sentenced to two years in prison for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material previously worked for years as a director in primary education. This was found during an investigation by De Gelderlander.
The 52-year-old man held a managerial position at the Oost-Nederland prosecutor’s office. Devices seized from his home contained more than 46,000 photos and more than 450 videos of boys aged 8 to 14. He shared some of the material with others. Prosecutors had sought a 2.5-year sentence.
Before joining the Public Prosecution Service, the man allegedly worked as a director in primary education. Between 2011 and 2019, he was reportedly employed at two primary schools in the Achterhoek region. Both schools fall under the same school group.
The administrator of the school group told De Gelderlander he could not respond to inquiries about the former school director.
“I understand that there are many questions,” the administrator said. “It is really a serious matter. But I cannot and may not say anything about individuals or situations, not even in the past. In our actions, the safety and well-being of children always come first.”
During the trial the man said he may have downloaded the material by accident. The court found it highly unlikely the downloads were unintentional, given the scale and consistency of the content. Judges said his actions contributed to the continuation of child sexual abuse.
Police learned of the man in October 2024 after a tip that he planned to buy hard drugs, including GHB, for sex parties at his home. Officers tracked him to a drug deal, arrested him, and seized his electronic devices. The Public Prosecution Service told the court he shared the material with acquaintances and allegedly encouraged a friend to abuse the friend’s foster children. That friend and his partner were later arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse, and the children were removed from the home.
