A Goulburn man will have to wait until the new year to learn his fate after a guilty plea of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse.
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Joshua Allan Brown, 35, appeared in the Downing Centre District Court before Judge Mark Williams on December 9, with the next appearance booked for January 24, 2023 following questions around a psychologist's report into Brown's alleged predilection towards minors.
Brown pleaded guilty in March after conversations in January on Snapchat and WhatsApp where he had conversations of a sexual manner about children with an undercover police officer.
The prosecution alleged that Brown had taken part in the conversations following a "two-day binge" of drugs, mixing cocaine and amphetamines.
Dr Marcelo Rodriguez submitted a report to the court dated November 8, 2022 that while Brown had a disorder of substance abuse he did not find him to have a paedophilic disorder.
Brown met with the psychologist on eight separate occasions and Dr Rodriguez said he had not shown indicators of arousal towards children, but had revealed a history of significant drug use.
"He reported on a number of occasions having taken a myriad of substances at high quantities," Dr Rodriguez said.
Brown had revealed a history of drug abuse and other criminal offenses, but Dr Rodriguez said there was not a history of sexual crime.
"It was not associated with a particular sexual offending, but a history of non-sexual criminality," he said.
Prosecutor Matthew Clifford O'Sullivan said that in Dr Rodriguez's report Brown had indicated that he was "lonely and sexually frustrated" at the time of the offence.
They also noted that the combination of cocaine and amphetamines acted as a stimulant and can create a hyper-sexualised state of mind.
"The combined effect of his mental state and these drugs was what facilitated him to engage in these chats?" Mr Clifford-O'Sullivan questioned.
"That is my opinion sir, yes," Dr Rodriguez said.
Dr Rodriguez said that Brown had planned a "dirty" weekend away with his wife, but those plans had been "thwarted" and the online discussions were purely fantasy.
"That's my understanding that he simply swapped the fantasy he had with his wife to one 'of a minor' in those chats."
Mr Clifford asked that had Brown not been "grossly intoxicated" on drugs at the time of the offending whether it would have a bearing on the diagnosis that he did not have a paedophilic disorder.
"My conclusion is that he does not have a sexual interest in children," Dr Rodriguez said.
The prosecution claimed the doctors findings were not consistent with the graphic nature of some messages about someone known to Brown.
Judge Williams acknowledged the prosecution would want to make further submissions following their cross examination of Dr Rodriguez.
"It's a difficult case that requires careful consideration of the evidence," Judge Williams said.
The case will return to district court at the Downing Centre on January 24.
Jacob McMaster
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
