Gravelly Beach, Tasmania: Man, 48, jailed after police found hundreds of files including AI-generated child abuse material on his computer

A Tasmanian man has been jailed for at least 10 months after police found hundreds of files showing child abuse on his computer, including content generated using artificial intelligence.

The 48-year-old Gravelly Beach man was sentenced to two years in prison with a non-parole period of 10 months in the Supreme Court of Tasmania on Tuesday.

Police raided his home in the state’s Tamar Valley region in May and found hundreds of files showing child abuse on his computer.

A significant amount was generated using artificial intelligence, marking the first time police have located and seized AI-generated child abuse material in Tasmania, the Australian Federal Police says.

The raids came after multiple reports of an Australian downloading child abuse material from a website and social media platform run by the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The man pleaded guilty to possession of child abuse material obtained through a transportation service and using a transportation service to access child abuse material in October.

“Whether the abuses described are AI-generated or involve real exploited children, they remain repulsive and abhorrent and police will continue to target those who share them,” AFP Detective Sergeant Aaron Hardcastle said in a statement on Saturday.

“People may not be aware that online simulations, fantasy, text-based stories, animations and cartoons, including AI-generated content depicting child sexual abuse, are still considered abuse material.” under Commonwealth law,” he said.

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National Support Service for Reparation and Sexual Abuse 1800 211 028