Ex-public servant jailed for collecting more than 500 files, 90 hours of child abuse videos

CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to child abuse.

A former public servant and self-described “computer geek” will spend about seven weeks behind bars after he was sentenced for collecting more than 500 files depicting the abuse of children.

In March 2022, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation told police an ACT resident may have been accessing child abuse material through peer-to-peer networks.

The following month, police raided then-49-year-old Steven John Bolton’s home, where he lived alone, and seized numerous electronic devices.

The devices contained 536 files of child abuse material, including about 90 hours of video footage. About two-thirds showed prepubescent children, the remainder pubescent children.

An examination showed he began his collection in 2013.

Police also discovered that between November 2021 and March 2022, Bolton accessed and downloaded 79 child abuse files onto a laptop from a peer-to-peer network. These files are included in the count of 536.

Bolton pleaded guilty to possessing child abuse material and using a carriage service to access child abuse material prior to appearing before the ACT Supreme Court for sentencing on Thursday (17 October).

“The conduct constituted planned (deliberate) offending, involving material of a serious level of depravity and a number of victims of varying ages,” Justice Verity McWilliam told the court.

“As submitted by the Crown, possession of child abuse material is not a victimless crime.”

She said the now-52-year-old Bolton had no prior convictions and his medical condition was heavily influential in the sentencing considerations.

He suffered a stroke in 2014 and was not discharged from Canberra Hospital’s rehabilitation independent living unit until 2017.

He cannot use his left arm and leg and uses a wheelchair. He also lives with other disabilities due to his stroke.

Justice McWilliam said expert evidence established there was a significant chance he would be at risk of increased health conditions in jail due to a lack of access to the same level of support in his current living situation.

“This is a complex and intensely private individual who has lost a great deal of control over his life through disability,” she said.

“In this case, the absence of any demonstrated remorse and the reluctance to discuss his offending is more nuanced than someone who lacks insight into their offending.

“People demonstrate shame in different ways.”

Justice McWilliam said Bolton’s personal circumstances made it appropriate for the full-time custodial part of his sentence to be significantly reduced.

Bolton has worked in the computer and animation industry as well as the federal public service as a system administrator, but has been on welfare payments since 2019.

He was convicted and sentenced to one year and 11 months’ jail, to be released in December 2024 after he serves one month and 18 days behind bars if he signs a good behaviour order.

As part of this order, Bolton must undertake treatment or rehabilitation programs as directed.

If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732 or by visiting www.1800respect.org.au. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call Triple Zero.