Former Katanning man caught sending indecent pics in police sting

A former Katanning man has been convicted of sending indecent images of himself to an underage girl after a police officer posing as a juvenile intercepted the photos. Callum Wade Tucker, 23, befriended an underage girl on Instagram and Snapchat and encouraged her to send naked photos of herself over a period of 10 months in 2019. Tucker, 20 at the time, sent the then-14-year-old victim indecent photos of himself about 10 times. In March this year, Tucker was caught in the act when he sent indecent images to a police officer posing as a juvenile girl. Tucker appeared in Albany District Court earlier this month, pleading guilty to intending to expose a child to indecent matter. He also pleaded guilty to a second count of the same charge on March 2 in Katanning. State prosecutor Sarah Jessup told the court after Tucker initiated conversation with the victim on Instagram, he asked to communicate via Snapchat instead. Acknowledging the age of the victim, Tucker proceeded to encourage her to send indecent photographers of herself. The victim removed Tucker from her contact list, but at some point last year, he re-added her on Snapchat and resumed his behaviour. The victim reported him to police on April 3, 2020. Ms Jessup said on March 2 this year, Tucker communicated with a police officer who was pretending to be a 14-year-old girl on Facebook Messenger. Tucker, who was 22 at the time, asked the undercover police officer to take the conversation to Snapchat. “The offender sent the assumed identity two photographs of his naked body,” Ms Jessup said. Despite acknowledging their age, Tucker requested that the person send him indecent photographs. On March 11 this year, Tucker was arrested at his Katanning home. Defence lawyer David Manera acknowledged the “undoubtedly serious offending” but told the court there was no attempt by Tucker to lie about his age or identity. Mr Manera advised the court about six weeks before the court appearance, Tucker had moved to Perth to be closer to counselling services and family. He asked the court to consider suspending any term of imprisonment due to his client’s youth, his acceptance of responsibility, and a psychologist’s opinion he was “at low risk of reoffending”. However Ms Jessup said it was inappropriate to suspend any prison sentence, describing his offending as “not isolated ... not an aberration”. “There’s no voluntary cessation of contact in relation to count one. In fact, he only ceased when he was essentially threatened by a family member of the victim,” she said. “And even then it seems that that hasn’t prevented him from committing a further offence.” Tucker received a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 16 months, on the basis he abide by conditions. Judge Mark Herron said Tucker would have to receive counselling, complete a program that addressed underlying issues, and be regularly monitored in the community.