A former New South Wales crown prosecutor, sentenced to 15 months’ jail on child porn charges, is free on bail pending an appeal from his sentence.
Patrick Power, 54, had plead guilty to one count of possessing child pornography.
A packed Court heard that for years while working as one of the state’s top prosecutors, Power was secretly amassing pornographic pictures and videos, some involving boys under 10 years old.
Investigators uncovered almost 29,000 images on his computer hard drive.
Most featured homosexual pornography but 433 images depicted children – some aged under 10 – in sexual acts. Technicians also found 31 videos showing adults engaged in sex acts with children.
Meanwhile, the NSW Bar Association wants legal action taken against Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph after the newspaper named people who gave character statements for disgraced former crown prosecutor Patrick Power.
The newspaper on Saturday published the names of the 59 people who provided the statements under the headline “Pervert and his 59 mates”.
The Bar Association has applied to have the paper’s publisher News Ltd charged with contempt of court.
Association president Michael Slattery said the headline and article jeopardised the administration of justice and could constitute defamation.
“Let me make it absolutely clear, this proceeding in no way protests about them being named,” Mr Slattery told reporters outside Downing Centre Local Court, where Power was sentenced.
