A 20-year-old who amassed child abuse files has avoided jail, and been given the chance to become "a worthwhile member of the community and not live in the dark, depraved recesses of the internet".
"You must be vigilant everyday to be worthy of this opportunity," Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson told the sex offender on Friday.
"I want you to never forget that these are not victimless crimes."
The offender, Archer Fergus Dunnicliff, previously pleaded guilty to possessing and soliciting child abuse material.
A redacted and agreed statement of facts provides some details about Dunnicliff's crimes, including that he possessed 49 videos and 10 images on two USBs.
The discovered files depicted 151 different child victims.
In a series of messages found by police, Dunnicliff was asked by his now ex-partner if he liked "pedo stuff".
"Mhhm," he replied.
"Ur my only other pedo friend so I like to talk abt it heh," the partner messaged Dunnicliff.
On Friday, Justice Loukas-Karlsson sentenced the 20-year-old to a two-year intensive correction order.
She said it was important for the court to consider general deterrence and personal deterrence to "try to prevent further corruption of children".
"[Child sexual exploitation] occurs on a global level and has become increasingly prevalent," Justice Loukas-Karlsson stated.
"[It is] difficult to detect given the anonymity of the internet."
The judge took into account Dunnicliff's age, history of unresolved childhood difficulty, undiagnosed autism and other mental health issues.
Speaking directly to the sex offender, Justice Loukas-Karlsson said: "You cannot, you must not, put a foot wrong."
"I accept you have begun the process of rehabilitation, that is clear, and it is for that reason you will not be serving your sentence full time," she said.
"It is in the community's interest, and in your interest, that you rehabilitate yourself.
"These children are victims and their lives are destroyed by the black hole of the internet."
The court previously heard Dunnicliff's soliciting charge related to the "sexualised conversation" between the offender, aged 19 at the time, and his partner, aged 17.
In the February 2022 conversation, said to have been instigated by the partner, the pair discussed exchanging "cp", meaning child pornography, on the Telegram messaging app.
"Send cp", Dunnicliff messaged.
"Okie one sec!" the partner responded.
In a letter Dunnicliff wrote to the court, he stated: "I realise my behaviour was not only inappropriate and insensitive but contributed to the production of this material."
"I now feel as if I am a horrible person and my actions will have people view me as something I'm not."
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Bravehearts 1800 272 831; Blue Knot Foundation 1300 657 380.
