There are references to child sexual assault in this narrative, including specifics and material that some readers may find upsetting.
An ex-teacher from Sydney High School who downloaded footage of kids being threatened with guns for sex will serve at least 18 months in prison.
Cody Michael Reynolds, 37, entered a plea of guilty in December to two counts: one of having and one of transferring child abuse material.
When authorities searched the residence of the former English instructor at Moriah College in March 2022, they discovered a WhatsApp conversation with a man by the name of “Xavier”.
The two individuals uploaded films of boys as young as four masturbating and being sexually assaulted in addition to youngsters being held at gunpoint.
Investigators also discovered a hidden folder on his camera roll and his company-issued laptop that had 111 photos and six videos of youngsters being molested.
He was quickly removed from his position at the premier private school in Sydney, and no claimed charges involving Moriah College pupils were made.
Judge Phillip Mahoney of the District Court stated in his sentencing that “people like the offender who access and possess child abuse material encourage and feed an abhorrent market.”
Reynolds’ past and his guilty plea, according to Mahoney, were taken into consideration, but he insisted that “a clear message must be sent.”
The former teacher requested no jail time in an affidavit, but acknowledged he had “lost (his) place in that decision.”
He claimed that in order to put off going home after finishing his shift at the Sydney College, he would wait in his apartment’s storage while consuming vodka and watching videos of child abuse.
Reynolds has proactively sought psychological assistance since his arrest, the judge acknowledged.
According to Judge Mahoney, “He has expressed overwhelmingly genuine remorse for his conduct.”
“But the only appropriate sentence is imprisonment,” the statement continued.
He was given a two-year, ten-month prison term with a one-year, six-month non-parole period.
Reynolds, who has been out on bail since his arrest, didn’t react much as he was led in handcuffs from the courtroom.
In November 2024, he will be eligible for release.
