A teacher's aide in Sydney is seeking to avoid jail time after pleading guilty to a series of child abuse charges involving 12 victims. Thomas Gottaas, 20, appeared in Campbelltown District Court on Tuesday for a sentencing hearing.
Prosecutors stated that Gottaas used multiple messaging accounts and created aliases, including posing as a young girl on Snapchat, to coerce victims into sending him explicit images and videos. He also communicated on the encrypted messaging app Wizz, reportedly initiating conversations with the lure of making money. If a child responded positively, he would suggest moving to a more private platform, according to agreed facts presented in court.
Gottaas employed tactics of either paying victims for explicit material or threatening to expose content they had already sent. The court heard that some of the offenses involved him posing as a young girl to obtain the material. At the time of the offenses, Gottaas was employed part-time as a teacher's aide at a primary school in Sydney's southwest.
Police initially identified five victims but found material suggesting an additional seven victims who could not be identified. The charges include soliciting child abuse material using a carriage service and engaging in sexual activity with a child using a carriage service.
Gottaas's defense barrister argued that his client should not receive further jail time, citing his compliance with strict bail conditions granted in 2025, which included not using a mobile phone. The barrister emphasized that the accumulation of charges does not necessarily require additional custodial sentences, especially given the time Gottaas has already spent on remand.
Judge Karen Robinson acknowledged the complexity of the sentencing, stating that it was not an easy task. The sentencing is scheduled to be finalized on September 4.