A former south coast man will relocate back to NSW in the hope of avoiding jail time after being convicted of possessing child abuse material.
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Former Surfside resident William James Ruming, 36, travelled from his new residence in Queensland with his lawyer to appear in Batemans Bay Local Court on August 22.
Ruming was convicted after pleading guilty to one case of possessing child abuse material.
He was arrested in August 2021 after his wife found screenshots of child abuse material on his iPhone while Ruming was asleep.
According to documents tendered to the court, the screenshots discovered by Ruming's wife depict five different conversations with people using aliases on the internet.
In one conversation with a user called 'pantie man', Ruming brags about forcing his penis into the mouth of an adolescent while they were sleeping.
In another conversation, Ruming asked a user called Dan Noname "got any younger?".
Ruming then asked him if he had had sexual intercourse with an adolescent.
"Yes, have been for a year now," Dan Noname said.
Ruming asked Dan Noname for a picture, which Dan Noname then sent through.
Another conversation was a group chat named 'family enthusiasts'.
Ruming also sent a message to another user and said "damn...you got any more sex pics or vids of younger girls?"
Ruming's lawyer Ms Mahmadian told the court he was "deeply remorseful" for his actions.
"It is a very serious offence. No one is denying that," she said.
A NSW court cannot sentence Ruming to community correction and observation while he resides in another state because it is outside the jurisdiction of NSW correction officers.
Magistrate David O'Connor said while Ruming lived in Queensland, the likely punishment would be jail time.
"Living in Queensland at the moment, the future for you is looking quite bleak," Magistrate David O'Connor said.
Ms Mahmadian told the court Ruming was willing to relocate to an address in Sanctuary Point with a friend within seven days.
She told the court the friend was not one of the people involved in the phone group chats.
The case was adjourned, with Mr O'Connor listing the condition that Ruming relocate to the address in Sanctuary Point before he next reappears in court.
Ruming will return to Batemans Bay Local Court for sentencing on September 19.
