Former English teacher Dan Brooking caught with child abuse material spared immediate jail term

A former English teacher has been spared any more immediate jail time after sexually explicit photographs of children as young as six — including three he had taken himself — were found on his phones. Dan Brooking had worked as an educator in various schools in Western Australia, including latterly at the Bunbury Regional Community College. When Brooking’s disturbing charges came to light in October 2023, he was immediately dismissed. And he also then spent 145 days in prison, while legal negotiations proceeded over the allegation of possessing child exploitation material. The 48 year-old father of three eventually pleaded guilty to that charge. And on Thursday, before a District Court judge, the details of the material authorities found on his two phones was finally revealed. On October 18 last year, police swooped on Brooking’s home in Eaton, and seized his devices. On one, they found 16 images of varying perversion, including six of the worst category. On another phone they found three more, which Brooking had photographed himself and then emailed to himself. His lawyer Carolyn Smiddy-Brown told the court Brooking could not fully explain his offending, but it came amid a marriage breakdown and increasing work stress. “The photos are offensive and there is a sexual context. Things had spiralled down very quickly in July 2023,” she said. “We say there’s a high level of remorse … he is aware of his former career as a school teacher is no longer available to him. “He has to grapple with what he’s done. He also has to grapple with what he’s done to his wider family.” Prosecutors called for Brooking to be jailed immediately. But Judge Laurie Levy said in his view, given Brooking’s plea of guilty, time in prison and steps to rehabilitate, that a suspended jail term was the right sentence. “You are well educated. You have held some responsible and important employment roles, some of which have involved teaching young children,” Judge Levy said. “In a sense, you have been punished already because of the loss of your employment and vocation as a teacher – but that is a direct result of your offending. “And there is a paramount public interest in the protection of children, as possession of child exploitation material is not the victimless crime.” Brooking received a twelve-month prison term, suspended for 18 months.