Jail term possible for child porn | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

REMORSEFUL: Toormina’s John Edward Liljestrom walking into Coffs Harbour District Court yesterday.

JOHN Edward Liljestrom, 51, cut a lonely figure as he hobbled his way into the Coffs Harbour Court House awaiting sentence for possessing 4427 child pornography images yesterday.

Released on conditional bail, his case has been stood over for sentencing in the district court next Wednesday, March 17.

On the stand, Liljestrom admitted his guilt and expressed deep remorse when told that by downloading the images he had created a market for the exploitation of young children.

“I feel ashamed that I ever thought to observe the photos and save the photos,” Liljestrom said.

“My actions corrupted me, (the crimes) go against everything I thought was good.”

Liljestrom said he had been fascinated by the material.

When arrested he told police he was ‘relieved’ they had caught him.

Evidence seized from his home includes sexually explicit images of children as young as three.

In his defence it was noted that Liljestrom has received a disability pension since suffering head injuries in a motorcycle accident. The case before Judge Hosking highlights how readily available child pornography is on the internet.

Liljestrom said he started to view adult pornography websites before finding the illegal images.

Over a two-year period, he downloaded and stored the images on a catalogue of CDs and DVDs.

In a raid on his Toormina home last February police also seized two computer hard drives.

Pleading guilty to two Commonwealth offences of possessing child pornography, Liljestrom faces a possible custodial sentence.

When told he could be sent to jail, he replied: “My life has been full of pain . . . I don’t like the idea of that at all.”

Supported by his elderly mother he broke down after leaving the courtroom.