Australian man convicted of possessing child sex dolls

He was caught when Australian Border Force officers detected ‘anatomically-correct doll’ in shipment from China

Stock image of police officer in Queensland, Australia (Getty Images)

A man has become the first person in Queensland to be convicted after a new federal law banning possession of child sex dolls.

Terry Dunnett, 45, admitted two counts of possessing a child sex doll, one count of attempting to possess a child sex doll and a further charge of possessing child exploitation material on a laptop, ABC News reported.

The man, from Brisbane in Australia, was caught when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers detected an “anatomically correct doll” in a shipment from China addressed to him.

When they raided his home several days later, police found two more dolls which depicted young girls aged between four and five years old.

Sentencing at Brisbane’s District Court, Judge Orazio Rinaudo said: “They are life-like dolls depicting female children with cavities.

“The risk of the sale of such items objectifying children as sexual beings could be used to groom children for sex.”

He added that it was “a heinous crime to be involved in the exploitation of children” and that such offences could cause “desensitisation” to child sexual abuse or lead to an escalation of offending against a child.

However, he said he had to take into consideration Dunnett’s early guilty plea and remorse, when determining his sentence.

“I’m satisfied that you now understand that possession of these dolls and other items was wrong,” he said.

Dunnett becomes the first person from Queensland to be convicted and sentenced under new federal laws were introduced to combat child abuse offences.

He told officers he had purchased the dolls, including the one intercepted by ABF, online between 2014 and 2020.

Judge Rinaudo sentenced Dunnett to two years in jail but ordered he be immediately released under probation supervision.

He also placed him on a ‘good behaviour bond’ for two years and ordered that he pay 2,000 Australian dollars recognisance surety if he re-offends.