A teacher’s aide who sexually abused a dozen young boys online has been spared more prison time by a merciful judge.
Thomas Gottaas, 20, walked on parole from court on Monday after a judge found he had been punished enough for coercing multiple children into sending him sexually explicit material.
Judge Karen Robinson said Gottaas was on the road to rehabilitation in the community.
"There is always a place for the exercise of mercy in a sentence," the judge said in Campbelltown District Court in Sydney's southwest.
"This is one such case.
"The combined impacts of the offender's house arrest ... allow a finding that they are so harsh and restrictive that they amount to quasi-custody."
Gottaas was arrested days before his 19th birthday and spent more than four months on remand in 2025.
He then spent 189 days under house arrest after being released on bail, Judge Robinson said.
The former teacher's aide later pleaded guilty to six offences, all involving the use of social media to access, procure or transmit child abuse material.
Gottaas used two methods to manipulate boys, one as young as 11, to send him sexually explicit videos online.
The "payment method" involved sending money to one of his victims, as little as $30, to send him photos and videos of sex acts, the agreed facts state.
More frequently, Gottaas coerced his victims into sending him the material for free by catfishing them with fake social media profiles who would threaten to distribute material of the victims if they did not comply.
The former bartender created several aliases on social media site Snapchat including some where he posed as a young girl.
He also communicated on the encrypted messaging app Wizz, which is designed to help people under 24 connect safely with people of similar ages.
The agreed facts state Gottaas began multiple Wizz chat chains with the message: “Want to make $$$”.
Police identified five victims but seized material appearing to show another seven more who could not be identified, the facts state.
While she spared him jail, Judge Robinson underscored the severity of the young man's crimes.
"All offences involving child abuse material ... are inherently serious," she said.
"There is a level of persistence and an element of deception."
But his autism, poor mental health and trauma from a disrupted childhood meant the young man's sentence was best served in the community, the judge said.
She provided 40-per-cent credit for time on his house arrest, on top of his time spent on remand.
Gottaas is required to be on the state child offender's register for 15 years.
His sentence will expire in September 2029.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
