By Xinhua,
Canberra : A former federal police officer has been jailed for five months on child pornography charges by a magistrate who said a ruined career and community ridicule were not punishment enough.
Michael Edward Hatch, 38, was caught in the global investigation code-named Operation Centurion which has netted more than 100 Australians, and he will also be required to be of good behavior for another 18 months after his release.
Magistrate Karen Fryar said a search warrant on Hatch’s Canberra home in March 2008 revealed about 20 images of child pornography on his computer’s hard disk. Further searches of his computer revealed about 50 more images of girls as young as four involved in various sexual activities with adults.
A report was provided to the court of about 200 pages of websites entered from the computer’s browser, totaling about 5,770different addresses, mostly concerned with teenager porn.
Fryar said she took into account Hatch’s remorse over his actions, his references of previous good character, the fact that he was suffering from depression and the submission from Hatch’s defense that there was little chance of him reoffending.