A Wendouree father collected disgusting images of children as young as six performing sex acts and sent them to women on dating apps, the Ballarat Magistrates' Court was told.
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Daniel Vandebyl, 36, pleaded guilty to several charges, including accessing child abuse material, assault, and driving offences.
The court was told two women contacted police in July 2019, after they were sent child abuse images by a man on dating apps, with investigations linking the phone number and address to Vandebyl - his photo was also used on the app's profiles.
Phones, laptops, and hard drives were seized in a search warrant at Vandebyl's home, and upon analysis, 3732 images were found, including some from the worst category of child abuse material.
He admitted to police he possessed the child abuse material, and distributed it via the dating apps.
"I just screenshotted everything, tested the waters to see how far people would go," he told police.
Vandebyl also pleaded guilty to punching a man and breaching a court order, threatening a DHHS worker and damaging their car at the Ballarat Base Hospital, and repeatedly driving unlicenced in a car with false numberplates.
The court was told Vandebyl had his children removed from his care.
His partner was unaware of the child abuse material.
His defence lawyer stated he had no previous sexual offence priors, but noted a "moderate risk of reoffending" in a psychiatrist's report.
"(Vandebyl) instructs he must have accessed a site at some stage and images kept appearing in his inbox," she told the court.
"Why he forwarded them to others, he's at a loss to explain, he said he can't remember a lot of it.
"He instructs in 2016, he was the victim of a serious assault, he lost most of his teeth and has had difficulties with his memory."
She proposed a further assessment for a full diagnosis of any other mental illnesses, and submitted a community corrections order, with rehabilitative and punitive aspects, would be in range for sentencing.
"In some ways, the report raises more questions than answers, and he instructs his family wanted him assessed, he's never had a formal diagnosis," she said.
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"(The report suggests) underlying autism spectrum disorder, lack of emotional regulation, drug use, and emotional instability.
"The court should refer (the accused) to assessment by Corrections to investigate the diagnosis."
Magistrate Bruce Cottrill agreed, standing the matter down until Wednesday for sentencing.
He ordered Vandebyl attend court in person.
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