Christopher Rankin, 36, of Mildura, Victoria, pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to 17 charges related to possessing and producing child abuse material. The offenses involved covertly filming five children and six adults at a north-west Victorian home in 2025. Rankin also used artificial intelligence (AI) in the development of explicit content.

Rankin had served 35 days in pre-sentence detention and was out on bail before his first County Court appearance on June 25, 2026. A suppression order that had previously protected his identity was lifted by a Mildura magistrate, allowing the publication of his name.

County Court Judge Krista Breckweg described the material produced by Rankin as "disgusting, absolutely abhorrent and deplorable," expressing that she "couldn't comprehend how someone could be so depraved."

During the offending, Rankin employed remote surveillance applications to covertly film the victims. The case has caused significant distress, with those involved described as "overwhelmed, stressed and extremely anxious."

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