By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A musical-theatre couple who fantasised about inflicting violent, sadistic and “seriously depraved” abuse of children known to them have been jailed.
Musical director and teacher Benjamin Heels, 34, and chef Tristan Cullinan-Smayle, 34, each pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to more than 20 online child exploitation offences.
In what was a “chilling scenario”, some of Heels’s pupils were among the 19 victims of his “predatory” behaviour, Judge Helen Syme said in sentencing on 31 March.
Heels taught singing, piano and drama to children as young as eight at his home, at a school and other venues in the South East.
A couple since 2010, Heels and Cullinan-Smayle had together taken part in musical productions in the South East.
“It is deeply depraved, confronting, explicit and without exception, provides extreme examples of child abuse,” Judge Syme said of the couple’s online chats.
“It explicitly describes violence, humiliation, and sadistic acts towards young and very young human beings.”
The teacher’s “brazen” offending with no apparent regard for the child’s welfare was a “significant” breach of trust.
Heels also exchanged child abuse material with a man who has since pled guilty to child abuse material charges and two unidentified people.
Cullianan-Smayles groomed a 14-year-old boy online.
Over several years, Cullinan-Smayles unsuccessfully sought to meet up for sex with the victim and another child.
Police seized more than 2500 items of explicit child sexual abuse material from Cullinan-Smythe and more than 400 from Heels.
Victims’ parents told the court of their diminished trust in other community members.
“Knowing that the abuse continued for some days or months, and still not knowing what the consequences might be for them in the future would be a terrifying scenario for any parent,” Judge Syme noted.
The accused pair appeared at the sentencing online from Hopkins Correctional Facility, where they are housed together and have organised musical theatre activity during their remand.
“No doubt, from a custody management point of view, this is a desirable situation,” Judge Syme noted.
“I do not know whether it is a desirable situation from a rehabilitation perspective.”
Neither of the couple had previous convictions.
Heels was jailed for up to 11 years with a seven-year-and-three-month non-parole period, Cullinan-Smayle for 10 years with a non-parole period of six years and seven months.
Their terms include 673 days in pre-sentence custody.
Both must report as registered sex offenders for life.
