Cop texted indecent picture of 7yo daughter
A married policeman texted an indecent picture of his seven-year-old daughter to impress a woman he met over the Internet, a court has heard.
The former constable, who cannot be named, was arrested after the woman reported the offensive image to authorities.
The Brisbane District Court was also told that, when police seized his mobile phone, laptop and home computer, a further 185 images of child pornography were discovered.
The now 39-year-old, who resigned from the Queensland Police Service after his arrest, was sentenced to 15 months' jail after pleading guilty to the distribution of child exploitation material and using a mobile phone to access child pornography.
Supported by his wife in court, the man also pleaded guilty to one count of indecent treatment of a child - his own daughter.
The photograph the defendant sent of his daughter was requested to be sealed after it was tendered in court by prosecutor Julie Ayward because it was so appalling.
"It comes after three months of looking at child exploitation material on his phone," she said.
"He's the father of the child. He's meant to protect her, not exploit her."
The man attempted to explain his possession of child pornography as images he innocently stumbled across while searching 'natural websites'.
Investigators, however, found search terms on his various electronic devices like 'RU13', 'sweet young kids under13' and 'images sweet young' that were used to source the pornography.
Judge Julie Dick said it was very disturbing the man saw nothing wrong with sending indecent photos of his own daughter to a woman he had not met.
"(This) is a quite serious act of indecent treatment (of a child)," she said.
"You are a very egocentric man with a lack of empathy for your daughter."
