news, crime, Richard Roy
A 56-year-old Kambah man was caught on video engaging in a sex act while he watched live child abuse material, police allege. Richard James Roy fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday. Police said beforehand that they raided his home on Thursday, and found “an expansion drive containing video and image files depicting child abuse material”. They alleged Mr Roy was himself depicted in one of the videos. The 56-year-old was charged with using the internet to engage in sexual activity with someone under 16. The charge related to alleged contact on July 15, 2017. Commonwealth prosecutor Libby Sutton in court on Friday said police had uncovered evidence that Mr Roy had sexual contact with a “pre-pubescent child”. Mr Roy pleaded not guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a child using the internet, and did not enter pleas to a further two charges: two counts of possessing child abuse material. Ms Sutton said the charges might represent “the tip of the iceberg” for Mr Roy, and suggested he may have more alleged victims. She said prosecutors were concerned Mr Roy might try to destroy or interfere with evidence, and police had just started examining a data storage device they found at his home. Ms Sutton said their analysis “may well take some considerable time”. Mr Roy’s lawyer, Tom Taylor, pointed to that potential delay as one reason why the 56-year-old should be granted bail. He said Mr Roy had strong ties to the Canberra community – he had two adult children, and had been employed in the same job in Canberra for 15 years. Mr Taylor said any risk that Mr Roy would interfere with evidence could be ameliorated by strict bail conditions, and the 56-year-old had agreed to forfeit $20,000 if he breached them. But Magistrate James Lawton refused to grant Mr Roy bail. He said there was “strong evidence” the 56-year-old had engaged in sexual activity with a minor over the internet, and he was concerned Mr Roy would interfere with evidence. The magistrate said it appeared Mr Roy was prepared to use “covert” internet services for sexual gratification, and he would have to be monitored around-the-clock for the court to be satisfied he wasn’t doing that. Mr Roy will next appear in court on February 26.
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A 56-year-old Kambah man was caught on video engaging in a sex act while he watched live child abuse material, police allege.
Richard James Roy fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday.
Police said beforehand that they raided his home on Thursday, and found “an expansion drive containing video and image files depicting child abuse material”.
They alleged Mr Roy was himself depicted in one of the videos.
The 56-year-old was charged with using the internet to engage in sexual activity with someone under 16. The charge related to alleged contact on July 15, 2017.
Commonwealth prosecutor Libby Sutton in court on Friday said police had uncovered evidence that Mr Roy had sexual contact with a “pre-pubescent child”.
Mr Roy pleaded not guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a child using the internet, and did not enter pleas to a further two charges: two counts of possessing child abuse material.
Ms Sutton said the charges might represent “the tip of the iceberg” for Mr Roy, and suggested he may have more alleged victims.
She said prosecutors were concerned Mr Roy might try to destroy or interfere with evidence, and police had just started examining a data storage device they found at his home.
Ms Sutton said their analysis “may well take some considerable time”.
Mr Roy’s lawyer, Tom Taylor, pointed to that potential delay as one reason why the 56-year-old should be granted bail.
He said Mr Roy had strong ties to the Canberra community – he had two adult children, and had been employed in the same job in Canberra for 15 years.
Mr Taylor said any risk that Mr Roy would interfere with evidence could be ameliorated by strict bail conditions, and the 56-year-old had agreed to forfeit $20,000 if he breached them.
But Magistrate James Lawton refused to grant Mr Roy bail.
He said there was “strong evidence” the 56-year-old had engaged in sexual activity with a minor over the internet, and he was concerned Mr Roy would interfere with evidence.
The magistrate said it appeared Mr Roy was prepared to use “covert” internet services for sexual gratification, and he would have to be monitored around-the-clock for the court to be satisfied he wasn’t doing that.
Mr Roy will next appear in court on February 26.
Richard Roy fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday. Picture: Karleen Minney
