A MOUNT Helen man caught with more than 20,000 images of child pornography on his computer said his life has been sent “into a spin” since his guilty plea last month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sean Colin Monagle, 20, appeared in the County Court in Ballarat yesterday.
Defence lawyer Rob Devolle said that since his guilty plea last month, Monagle had been victim to “unsavoury” and “negative” comments posted on Facebook.
He said his client had also dropped out of his studies at the University of Ballarat, and his mother had found it difficult to go to work.
Mr Devolle said his client was a youthful offender who was unlikely to commit further offences.
“This young man has certainly learnt by his misadventure,” he said. “He had no knowledge or idea of where this was going to end.”
To which Judge Joe Gullaci said, “how could he not know that if apprehended in possession of this material, it would get him into trouble?”
“It’s important that the community understand and knows that crimes of this nature are serious. His parents are the innocent victims of any conduct, but he has brought it on himself with his crimes.”
An earlier court hearing was told police had found 20,038 child pornographic images and 2901 videos stored on Monagle’s computer.
Monagle will be sentenced in Melbourne on May 31.
