GRUB WON’T DOB IN MATES
A GOLD Coast mechanic caught with almost 6000 child pornography files won’t tell who he shared the pictures with “out of courtesy” for his grubby mates.
Stephen Michael Remiens, 45, yesterday pleaded guilty to four counts of child porn and exploitation charges.
Remiens used an email account to try to swap images online.
He refused to tell police the people he was in contact with “out of courtesy” to them, the prosecution said.
A GOLD Coast mechanic caught with almost 6000 child pornography files won’t tell who he shared the pictures with “out of courtesy” for his grubby mates.
Stephen Michael Remiens, 45, yesterday pleaded guilty to four counts of child porn and exploitation charges.
The prosecuting lawyer told the Southport District Court Remiens’ crimes were “abhorrent”.
The case is adjourned until tomorrow so the judge can work out whether the New Zealand citizen will be thrown in a detention camp and deported.
In August 2015, police searched Remiens’ Molendinar home and found a laptop that contained child exploitation images on the hard drive, depicting young prepubescent girls in various stages of undress. The girls were as young as five.
Remiens used an email account to try to swap images online.
Authorities were tipped off to a complaint related to child porn on two Twitter accounts associated with Remiens.
Yesterday, the court heard Remiens agreed to an interview with police following the search where he said he was interested in pre-pubescent girls.
But Remiens would not tell officers the search terms he used on the internet to find the pornography or the people he was in contact with “out of courtesy” to them, the prosecution said.
Following his arrest Remiens spent 61 days in custody where fellow inmates threatened him with violence, sexual threats and suggestions he commit suicide, the court was told.
As a result he spent the time alone to avoid confrontation while in custody.
The court also heard that following his release two years ago Remiens has had recurring nightmares about the “everpresent threat” he could go back to prison.
Yesterday, Judge David Kent QC adjourned the case after defence barrister Tony Kimmins said Remiens had packed up all of his belongings as he “was not sure what was going to happen” because there was a chance he could be taken to a detention centre.
In considering Remiens’ sentence the court was reminded a judge cannot give a sentence to avoid deportation.