A retired Melbourne high school teacher had hundreds of disturbing child abuse videos on his computer when police raided his home after he'd booked a flight to Thailand with the intention of sexually abusing boys.
Bryan Douglas Cole, 72, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and one count of preparing to engage in sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia.
The court heard that Cole had booked a trip to Thailand on the day before his arrest.Credit: Bloomberg
Police raided Cole's CBD unit on March 16, a day after he booked a flight to Thailand where he had made plans to sexually abuse young boys, prosecutor Krista Breckweg told the Victorian County Court.
Investigators found 698 files on his electronic devices, including 308 videos, many of which authorities have described as some of the most disturbing and depraved material in existence.
"Increasingly the trend is for essential services to be delivered online," said ACCAN director of policy Una Lawrence. Credit: Louise Kennerley
Multiple online chat logs between Cole and other abusers included sexually explicit statements about the type of abuse and torture that interested the former teacher.
In some of the online exchanges, Cole discussed the abuse of babies, and his love for "crying" boys.
"This is not merely the viewing of an image," Judge Mark Dean said.
"The statements demonstrate he is well aware the children are being exploited, tortured and raped, and subject to unspeakable depravity."
The judge said Cole's actions were in the very serious category of offences.
Ms Breckweg said Cole was the first person in Australia to be charged with planning to commit a child sex offence outside Australia.
In an interview with police after he was arrested, Cole said he did not "do anything wrong" and had an "impeccable" record as a high school teacher.
"I have worked with children all my life in schools ... I have not touched or hurt children in any way," he said, according to Ms Breckweg.
Cole's barrister said his client was of good character before the offending.
"When looking at his offending, it's easy to forget the good qualities that he does possess," Pardeep Tiwana said.
"It's hard to imagine how he could stoop to this level of disgusting behaviour."
Cole has been diagnosed as a paedophile by a forensic psychologist, Judge Dean said.
"It's hard to accept this is something that has developed recently.
"This man has a sadistic view of children. He's interested in the torture of children."
Mr Tiwana said Cole had become anxious and lonely after he retired from full-time work and was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
"So he picked up child exploitation as a passtime, did he?" Judge Dean responded.
Cole has been remanded in custody to be sentenced at a later date.
AAP