Warning: Distressing Content.<\/p>\n
A former Catholic priest who said he was looking for a \u201chot new baby\u201d was willing to pay a child $50 for sex before he was caught in a police sting, a court has been told.<\/p>\n
Guy Norman Hartcher, 79, admitted to a raft of child abuse offences including three counts of procuring teenagers to engage in sex and eight counts of transmitting, accessing or soliciting child abuse material (CAM) using a carriage service.<\/p>\n
The former Catholic priest used online messaging applications to speak with a series of people both in Australia and overseas about child sexual activity, with Hartcher transmitting and receiving a series of CAM \u2013 including 32 images relating to children aged between five and 15 \u2013 as well as videos throughout 2024.<\/p>\n
Then aged 77, he wrote \u201cdepraved\u201d, \u201chighly offensive, descriptive CAM\u201d that included \u201chighly sexualised content including detailed graphic descriptions of children engaging in sexual acts\u201d, Judge Phillip Mahony SC told the NSW District Court on Friday.<\/p>\n
This included a text Hartcher sent which stated: \u201cI\u2019m looking for a hot new baby\u201d.<\/p>\n
Much of Hartcher\u2019s offending is too distressing to publish.<\/p>\n
His web of child abuse was unravelled when he began speaking with a user by the name of Ben, who told Hartcher he was a \u201cnearly 15\u201d. <\/p>\n
In reality, Ben was a police officer from the NSW Child Exploitation Sex Crimes Squad.<\/p>\n
Hartcher sent several sexualised messages and CAM images to \u201cBen\u201d before they agreed to meet up on December 23, 2024 in Pendle Hill in Greater Western Sydney.<\/p>\n
When police approached his car, Hartcher said \u201cI thought I was meeting this fellow, Ben, who I met online\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cI knew he was underage and I\u2019m assuming he is not here, and I\u2019m assuming he is you,\u201d Hartcher told officers during his arrest.<\/p>\n
Hartcher later said he did not believe Ben was 14 and that he \u201cwanted to meet him solely to talk\u201d, according to a sentencing assessment report summarised in court, with the former priest describing his actions as \u201cdangerously stupid\u201d.<\/p>\n
Hartcher was also going to give one of the alleged victims $50 to meet up for sex, the court was told, and in another instance he replied \u201cf**k baby you are so hot\u201d when he was sent an image of an exposed female child.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is pernicious offending which involves callous and predatory conduct towards the most vulnerable people in the community,\u201d Judge Mahony said.<\/p>\n
He branded the dissemination of CAM a \u201ccallous and predatory crime\u201d given that it comes into existence by way of exploiting children.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is not a victimless crime,\u201d Judge Mahony said.<\/p>\n
Hartcher will spend at least three years behind bars after Judge Mahony sentenced him to an overall term of six years and six months imprisonment with a non-parole period of three years.<\/p>\n
Hartcher had said his behaviour was driven by a need for \u201csexual resurrection\u201d according to a sentencing assessment report, with the former priest also telling a psychiatrist that it \u201cwas all fantasy\u201d. <\/p>\n
Judge Mahony accepted Hartcher feels \u201cgreat shame\u201d over his offending and that impaired judgment arising from an acquired brain injury he acquired in 2002 contributed to his offending behaviour, along with his intellectual decline.<\/p>\n
He also found that he \u201chad a clear interest in pedophilia\u201d. <\/p>\n
However, this does not justify the \u201csignificant depravity\u201d of the offending, Judge Mahony ruled.<\/p>\n
Hartcher was escorted out of the courtroom by corrective services officers.<\/p>\n
He will be eligible for release on parole in August 2029, and will be subject to a registrable person order for a period of 15 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Warning: Distressing Content. 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