Queensland man imprisoned for exploitation of Filipino children

Date of Judgment: 19 September 2023

Court: Supreme Court of Queensland

Partner Agency: Queensland Police Service

Over a 3 and a half year period between 2018 and 2021 Mr Willie Arthur Mareko sexually abused Filipino children over the internet, facilitated by women he met over social media who received payment for the abuse. The matter was prosecuted by the CDPP after an investigation and referral by the Queensland Police Service. Mr Mareko was charged with 18 offences contrary to provisions of the Criminal Code (Cth). Mr Mareko pleaded guilty to all offences and on 19 September 2023, Justice Crow of the Supreme Court of Queensland sentenced Mr Mareko to a total sentence of 14 years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 8 years.

The matter

The Court heard, during the period of the offending, Mr Mareko spoke to 11 different women in the Philippines via social media and requesting they send him child abuse material or livestream the physical or sexual abuse of children, in exchange for money. He’d requested material in relation to at least 13 different children and actually received material in relation to 4 children, including the livestreamed abuse of children. He then provided money to the other abusers of these children after the material had been transmitted to him. He also obtained child abuse material from other paedophiles, which depicted sexual abuse of a significant number of victims. In addition, he accessed and possessed child abuse material on 2 different devices.

With the assistance of the Australian Federal Police, the Philippine National Police arrested 4 people following a referral made following Mr Mareko’s arrest. Ten children between the ages of 2 and 16 were subsequently removed from harm in the Philippines.

Mr Mareko pleaded guilty to 18 offences contrary to the Criminal Code (Cth):

• 8 x Procuring a child to engage in sexual activity outside of Australia, contrary to s272.14(1) 
• 1 x Using a carriage service to cause child pornography material to be transmitted to self, contrary to s474.19(1) 
• 1 x Using a carriage service to access child pornography material, contrary to s474.19(1) 
• 1 x Causing a child to engage in sexual activity (other than sexual intercourse) in the presence of the defendant and outside Australia, contrary to s272.9(2) 
• 1 x Grooming a child to engage in sexual activity outside of Australia, contrary to s272.15(1) 
• 2 x Using a carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to s474.22(1) 
• 1 x Using a carriage service to cause child abuse material to be transmitted to self, contrary to s474.22(1) 
• 1 x Causing a child to engage in sexual activity (other than sexual intercourse) in the presence of the defendant and outside Australia, contrary to s272.9(2) 
• 1 x Causing a child to engage in sexual intercourse in the presence of the defendant and outside Australia, contrary to s272.8(2) 
• 1 x Possess child abuse material obtained via carriage service, contrary to s474.22A(1) 

Sentencing

Two of those offences carried mandatory minimum penalties of 5 and 6 years imprisonment, as a result of amendments made to the Crimes Act (Cth) in June 2020. 

In his judgment, Justice Crow described the offending as distressing and horrendous. His Honour noted the damage that had been caused to children in the Philippines as a result of Mr Mareko’s conduct and the need for deterrence and denunciation in sentencing. Mr Mareko was sentenced to a combined 14 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 8 years.

Related links

ABC – Hamilton Island's Willie Arthur Mareko jailed for soliciting sexual acts on Filipino children