A suppression order protecting the identity of a man who has pleaded guilty to possessing and producing child abuse material has been lifted.
The ABC can reveal Christopher Rankin, 36, of Mildura, pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to 17 charges including possessing and producing child abuse material.
A court order preventing the media from naming, using pictures of, or detailing the case against the former kindergarten cleaner was in place since November.
Christopher Rankin has pleaded guilty to child abuse material possession and production charges. (Supplied: Facebook)
Rankin had served 35 days in pre-sentence detention and was out on bail prior to being arraigned at his first County Court appearance on June 25.
Convert camera installation
The County Court heard Rankin was 35 at the time he installed a convert camera in the bathroom of a home that was not his, in Victoria’s north west.
The court was told he was targeting a child known to him.
More victims were filmed over time as other people, including the child’s friends, visited the house.
Rankin ultimately filmed five child victims and six adult victims.
Christopher Rankin’s offending was described as “absolutely abhorrent and deplorable” by a County Court judge. (ABC News: Tyrone Dalton)
The court heard more than 3,500 child abuse images were located across a series of tablets and computers Rankin owned.
The content included unaltered videos of the victims, as well as the heads of the victims superimposed onto the naked bodies of other adults and children.
The court heard the entirety of the files located were either produced directly by Rankin, or with AI assistance.
Mildura man Christopher Rankin has been taken into custody after pleading guilty. (Supplied: Facebook)
The court heard he was technologically savvy and used a series of remote monitoring applications and encryption software during his offending.
An SD card found in the covert camera included video of him installing the device.
Victims shattered to the core
Four victim impact statements were read to the court on June 25, detailing feelings of guilt, blame and broken trust.
One woman said she wished Rankin got the maximum penalty for his crimes, saying she no longer trusted anyone with her children apart from immediate family.
Christopher Rankin used remote surveillance applications during the offending. (ABC News: Tyrone Dalton)
Another said the ordeal left her feeling “overwhelmed, stressed and extremely anxious”.
A third victim said the offending had shattered her to her core, and that she “couldn’t comprehend how someone could be so depraved”.
The fourth victim, the owner of the home where the offending transpired, said parents had stopped sending children to her place, and described Rankin’s offending as “terrifying”.
County Court Judge Krista Breckweg said the material produced by Rankin was “disgusting, absolutely abhorrent and deplorable”.
The court heard an immediate term of imprisonment was inevitable for Rankin upon sentencing.
The matter will return to the County Court on July 20 for a further plea.
Christopher Rankin has pleaded guilty to possessing and producing child abuse material. (ABC News: Tyrone Dalton)
