Cristobal Quilodran has been sentenced for offences of sexual activity with a child, making indecent photographs of youths and possessing extreme pornography.
Senior Magistrate Malcom Simmons sentenced the Chilean national to a total of four years and six months in custody.
Quilodran, aged 36, was employed as a lifeguard and supervisor at the Stanley Leisure Centre and also had a safeguarding role.
He met his victim while working at the leisure centre and in October last year started his grooming campaign using “calculated and manipulative behaviour”, as described by prosecutor Stuart Walker.
Complaints from adults who noticed him spending too much time with the child last November led to his suspension from the leisure centre.
A police investigation was launched but due to lack of evidence Quilodran was released on bail with the condition he was not to contact the child by any means.
The defendant did not comply with these conditions and Mr Walker said he “renewed his campaign of grooming” in January of this year which resulted in him engaging in sexual activity with the child.
When sentencing, the senior magistrate said the leisure centre is considered a “safe place” where children can attend without their parents.
“You abused that trust”, said Mr Simmons, “and impacted on the community, undermining people’s trust in the leisure centre to keep their children safe.”
As Quilodran pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance in April, he was not afforded a third reduction in his sentence, only receiving a quarter reduction for his change of plea in May.
“You now accept responsibility, to your credit, and express shame,” said Mr Simmons.
He was sentenced to three years and six months in custody for two counts of sexual activity with a minor.
Quilodran was then given a custodial sentence of 12 months for the 125 child sex abuse images found on a hard drive in his possession, along with videos of bestiality. The hard drive was seized as part of the grooming investigation.
Quilodran entered guilty pleas for all six offences relating to the different categories of images and videos.
Defence lawyer, Damian Sabino, said although his client “has no recollection of saving the images… he will be accountable for what is on there and will not blame others.”
One video was described as “particularly sadistic” by Mr Simmons who told the defendant:
“It is entirely incorrect to say this a victimless crime. You have contributed to the abuse and exploitation of these children, feeding a demand for sexual gratification.
“Many women are also coerced into appearing in these images and downloading them fuels the abuse.”
Separate sentences were given for six separate offences, each reduced by a third for the defendant’s early guilty plea, which will run concurrently.
The longest sentence of 12 months will run consecutively to the sexual activity with a child sentence totalling four years and six months in custody.
Credit will automatically be given for time Quilodran has already served and he will be subject to a notification requirement indefinitely.
