A MAN who made international headlines after he removed a person’s testicle in a Port Macquarie hotel room has been sentenced to a year in jail for possessing child pornography.
Allan George Matthews, 59, pleaded guilty to possession of child abuse material at Armidale Local Court on Tuesday.
Detectives seized Matthews’ computer in Glen Innes in June 2016 during an investigation into the unauthorised surgery.
They then discovered images showing children under 10 years old in sexually explicit poses and others covered in semen.
Police evidence tendered to the court showed one image of a child naked in bed with a belt around her neck.
Defence solicitor Douglas Hannaway said his client met someone online and it was that person who gave Matthews the USB containing the images.
Mr Hannaway maintained his client had a number of USB drives at home and didn’t intend to copy the images onto his computer.
“I said [to Matthews], ‘what did you do with them, did you look at them?’ He said no,” he told the court.
Magistrate Michael Holmes said he found that “hard to believe” and that the images were “disgusting”.
“One of the images showed a male standing above a naked female under 10 years old with what appears to be semen on her body,” Mr Holmes said.
“The court believes it has an obligation to the community, a specific deterrence to you in general and to members of the community that this kind of material cannot be condoned.”
Matthews’ solicitor Mr Hannaway told the court his client has to disguise himself in sunglasses and a cap as a result of the media attention given to the unauthorised surgery in May 2016.
The incident occurred when A 52-year-old man posted an online advertisement requesting assistance with a medical issue, and Matthew’s agreed to perform the hotel surgery.
A week later the victim attended hospital with complications as a result.
“He has been vilified around Australia, sacked from numerous jobs, received broken ribs from which he still has soft tissue damage,” Mr Hannaway said.
“He appeared in newspapers in England and the United States of America.
“He has been pursued down the street by the media … one reporter ran after him in her high heels all the way down the street asking him questions.”
Matthews received a good behaviour bond for the unauthorised surgery, as there was no Australian case law on the matter it would have ended up in the High Court, Mr Hannaway said.
“The question is whether you can consent to grievous bodily harm,” he said.
Mr Holmes said the previous matter had no impact on his decision to send Matthews to prison, and he understood it had caused him a great deal of distress.
“I do take into account he has suffered greatly for the commission of that offence, public disapproval and assaults,” he said.
Matthews was sentence to 12 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of six months.
He was given a 25 per cent discount for his guilty plea and will be eligible for release in September.
Madeline Link
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
Madeline Link is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald, with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Council. To keep up with my stories, follow my Twitter @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au.
