A South Australian man who ignored a police warning and used Snapchat, WhatsApp and Instagram to sexually abuse young girls around the world has been jailed for at least three years in prison.
WARNING: This story contains graphic content that readers may find distressing.
Key points:
- Naim Anderson was arrested at an Adelaide train station in 2020 where he thought he knew a 14-year-old girl.
- His offense first came to light in an FBI warning
- He broke his bond watching pornography
Naim Anderson, 21, pleaded guilty in the South Australian District Court to 13 sexual offenses against minors, including the use of a transport service to engage in sexual activities with a minor under the age of 16 and access , transmission and solicitation of child abuse material.
The crime, which involved girls as young as four years old, took place over a period of 18 months between February 2019 and August 2020.
Anderson used social media platforms to “sexually” communicate sexually and film several girls, including the United States and Canada.
During the sentencing, Judge Julie McIntyre said most of the victims had not been identified, but would have suffered Anderson’s crime.
“The recordings show that you encouraged, persuaded and instructed the victims about what you wanted them to do,” he said.
“You used these unfortunate girls for your own sexual gratification without thinking about them.
“No one can be left indifferent to the anguish and suffering you have caused these girls and their families.
“Not only do they have to deal with what happened during these communications, but they also have to live with the fear that images and videos of them may exist on the Internet to resurface at any time.”
The court heard that Anderson ignored a police warning to stop his offense. (ABC News: Dean Faulkner)
Anderson also sought and “actively” shared child abuse material.
He had about 150 “highly depraved and degrading” images and 24 videos on his cell phones.
Anderson took the lead from the FBI
Judge McIntyre said there were more unaccused acts.
He said the offense came to light in May 2019, when one of the victim’s parents contacted the U.S. FBI, which forwarded the information to Western Australian police, where Anderson was living at the time.
Judge Julie McIntyre said Anderson’s offense was prolonged. (ABC News)
Police spoke to Anderson, who lied about the allegations, saying he was unaware of the girl’s age and that communication between the two had stopped when he realized.
“Unfortunately, you ignored the police warning; you continued to offend until your arrest,” Judge McIntyre said.
Anderson was arrested at Kilburn Railway Station in South Australia more than a year later on suspicion of meeting a 14-year-old girl.
He then broke his bail, even using his cell phone to view pornography.
He has been sentenced to six years in prison with a three-year probation period, back in February when his bail was revoked.
“Your offense was not a one-time or fleeting foray into crime, but was a deliberate course of offense for an 18-month period,” Judge McIntyre said.
“You continued with him despite the warning from the police.
“In fact, there was an apparent escalation in your offense, as you looked for more and more material related to very young children.”
In setting a lower-than-usual parole period, Judge McIntyre said Anderson’s personal circumstances “excited sympathy” and that he was unlikely to receive the psychological and psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation he needed while in prison. in prison.
Out of court, Anderson’s family laughed when asked about his crimes.