Cop claims book’s ‘daddy’ fantasy is child abuse material as Aussie author defends erotic novel ‘Daddy’s Little Toy’

A police officer has claimed an Australian erotic novel depicted an older man “wanting” a toddler, as the author fights allegations she committed child abuse offences by writing the book. Lauren Mastrosa, who publishes under the pen name “Tori Woods”, was charged over the fictional novel “Daddy’s Little Toy”, which allegedly depicts a relationship between a man and his friend’s 18-year-old daughter. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of possess child abuse material, disseminate child abuse material, and produce child abuse material. A police officer tasked with reading the book alleged it contained depictions of an older man “wanting” a three-year-old, which was firmly denied by Ms Mastrosa’s lawyer Margaret Cunneen SC during a hearing at Blacktown Local Court on Thursday. Ms Cunneen submitted the book said the man wanted a woman as sweet as his friend’s toddler, asking the officer “He wants a woman, doesn’t he?”“Sounds like he wants a three year old to me,” Senior Constable Liam Matson replied. Ms Cunneen suggested he may have read it wrong, pressing “He wants a woman who is as sweet as this little girl”. “If that’s how you read it,” the officer replied. “It’s the only way to read it, isn’t it?” “No.” Ms Cunneen claimed it was always clear the character in question, Lucy, was aged 18 throughout the whole book, even if she was wearing child like clothes at times, and that there was never an implication she was three years old. “She’s pretending to be three, it’s the fantasy, the roleplay, and the law doesn’t prohibit people writing about fictitious people playing these roles,” she said. “She was at all times an adult and it could never be implied, for example, when she identifies as a three-year-old — as she does to enter some club appealing to this type of thing which is for people over 18 years old — it is noted in the book that she has pubic hair, so it never could be really implied that she was a three-year-old.” Constable Matson agreed sexual intercourse in the book only commenced when the character was 18, but claimed there were descriptions of “other sexual things”. “But only in some kind of retrospect in someone’s mind, isn’t that right?” Ms Cunneen asked. “Yeah but it still reads a certain way,” he replied. ‘Age gap fantasies common’ Ms Cunneen said age gap material fantasies are “common” in her opening address, going on to ask Constable Matson if he knew of sexual fantasies called “daddy dom little girl”. “I’ve done some light reading,” Constable Matson replied. “It’s not against the law for people of, or above the age of 18, to indulge in that?” Ms Cunneen pressed. “What people do behind closed doors in that respect is none of my business,” Mr Matson answered. When asked if it was against the law for people to write about it, he said “it depends on how it’s written”. Erotic book ‘infantilised’ woman: court The Crown prosecutor argued the book “infantilised” the 18-year-old protagonist of the book, Lucy. “The book has monologues where the use of language gives the implication that she’s younger … describes having childlike interests, and she’s described as having a childlike appearance,” he said. He further claimed if someone was to be in possession of one of the chapters alleged to imply the character was a child, “they would have clearly been in possession of child abuse material given it has no surrounding context”. Ms Cunneen argued the relevant legislation was not intended to apply to authors of erotic fiction, nor fantasy role-play material. She added “age gap material” and “daddy … little girl fantasy” are common fantasies. “In this case, it’s a fantasy of an adult …(who) throughout the novel is described as 18 very carefully,” she said. “It is always clear and repeated … that Lucy is 18 years of age.” She compared the case to someone wearing a nappy and dummy on a float at mardi gras. “It can’t then imply the person is a child,” she said. ‘Hell no’: Author’s reaction Ms Mastrosa described her shock at reactions to her novel in a recorded interview with police which was played to the court. She explained the book was previously available for pre-order online but she had pulled it after hearing reactions to an advanced copy of the novel given to a select group of people who had signed up for it on a site for Indie Authors. “After hearing what I’ve heard I’m like well hell no, that’s not it,” she said in the interview. She emphasised no one had physical copies of the book besides her, with the only copies digital versions given to the small group who signed up on BookFunnel. “Apart from 21 people that downloaded the link … those people who willingly signed up for it, they are the only ones but as of when I pulled the book … no one else would ever have that link,” she said in the interview. Ms Mastrosa dabbed her eyes with a tissue and blew her nose as she watched the interview. Her lawyer said Ms Mastrosa did “everything she could once she realised she had caused such repugnance in the community”. The court was also told Ms Mastrosa allegedly received harassment online over the book, prompting her to go to the police. A decision is expected to be handed down in February next year. news.com.au mental health helplines