Qld man jailed over child abuse material

Cheryl Goodenough | October 13, 2022

The conviction of a former Commonwealth public service employee over vile child abuse material was “probably all but inevitable” when detectives seized his phone and laptop.

Jacob Anthony Ferns was sentenced on Thursday to eight years behind bars after earlier pleading guilty to six charges relating to child abuse material including one that has a maximum jail sentence of 30 years.

Police found the material on the now 30-year-old’s phone and computer when they searched his Fortitude Valley home on September 30, 2020.

“Once the electronic devices were seized your conviction was probably all but inevitable,” Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Peter Davis told Ferns in handing down his sentence.

The charges relate to offences committed over about a year and include transmitting, accessing, soliciting and possessing child abuse material.

Ferns sent videos and still images – some depicting babies – showing “depraved acts” and had sexualised text conversations using the KIK messaging application.

During one text discussion with a KIK user about having sex with young boys, Ferns asked: “Got any hot content to trade?”

Nearly 50 videos and about the same number of images showed children aged up to five being raped by adults.

The most serious charge is for a conversation with two KIK users during which child abuse material was shared and preferences for young children discussed.

Justice Davis said Ferns had not offended directly against children as he had not created images or taken part in actions depicted in them.

“However … your actions should be regarded as contributing to the market for this vile material and therefore in an indirect way you are contributing to the suffering of children,” he told Ferns.

The court heard Ferns had a difficult childhood, but a “good work history” having worked in the Commonwealth public service for about 10 years.

He has no criminal history and was on bail until sentencing submissions were made on September 28.

Justice Davis handed Ferns a head sentence of 15 years behind bars, with a non-parole period of eight years.

The sentence took into account his guilty plea and cooperation by providing passcodes to his devices.