Ali Alghamdi sentenced over horrific child abuse material charges

Warning: Upsetting details

A Sydney PhD optometry student caught with more than a thousand files of child abuse material will be released from prison next month.

Ali Alghamdi, 35, was arrested on the Randwick University campus last July; police discovered hundreds of videos and images of child abuse on his phone; dozens of them were marked as “favorites”.

Car etc. to access child abuse material. Pleaded guilty to using and possessing child abuse data using a transportation service.

Both charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

On Wednesday, Alghamdi appeared in Downing Center District Court, where he was sentenced to a total of two years and six months in prison.

Judge John Pickering SC, citing police accepted facts, said Alghamdi had accessed approximately 220 images and 644 videos depicting child abuse material.

There were also 217 images and 515 videos depicting child abuse material.

Judge Pickering described the material as “the most disgusting files you can access”.

He told the court that the files showed very young children were involved in sexual acts.

The court was told Alghamdi was suffering from significant mental health problems at the time of the offense, which would have made his time in custody even more difficult.

Judge Pickering also noted that he had confessed his guilt at the first opportunity, expressed remorse, and that there was no evidence that he had distributed the files to anyone else.

“Obviously it was for personal use… there was no financial benefit or payment involved,” he said.

Judge Pickering stated that the methodology for accessing the material was not particularly complex.

“Unfortunately, in our world, it is very easy for someone interested in these perversions to access this information,” he said.

“It’s a pretty easy job, which is sad as it is in the modern world.”

Alghamdi was sentenced to a total of two years and six months in prison, dating back to last July, when Alghamdi was taken into custody.

Judge Pickering said he would be released for discovery purposes at the end of August.

He will serve as a scout for the remaining 13 months, provided he remains in good behavior and follows all instructions from his parole officer.

Judge Pickering said whether he returned to Saudi Arabia was not a sentencing issue.