Australian man convicted following Lemz and Terre Des Homes ‘Sweetie’ sting
An Australian man has ben convicted of sex offences as a result of the awarding winning ‘Sweetie’ campaign which saw an avatar of a ten-year old Filipino girl created in the hope of catching sex offenders.
The avatar was created by Dutch advertising agency Lemz and children’s aid organisation Terre Des Hommes Netherlands, which captured details of 1,000 men from around the world who requested that Sweetie perform sex acts in front of a webcam for cash. Their details, including 50 men from Australia and New Zealand were then passed onto Interpol.
The campaign received 12 Gold Cannes Lions and the Grand Prix for Good as well as a black Pencil at D&AD.
Scott Robert Hansen pleaded guilty to three charges in Brisbane District Court after being arrested earlier this year.
Hansen, a registered sex offender and serial flasher, admitted to sending obscene pictures of himself to Sweetie, having images of child pornography on his computer and failing to comply with a sex offenders’ order, reported BBC News.
He has been sentenced to two years in prison, however it is expected he will not serve his sentence due to eight months spent in jail.
BBC News reported the sentencing judge, Judge Ryrie as saying Hansen had “a protracted interest in targeting children in various ways” and the fact that the girl was not real was irrelevant.
“If you believe that’s a nine-year-old girl, then that’s the law, that’s good enough,” she said.
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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