An Australian author has avoided prison after a court found that sections of her self‑published novel crossed the legal threshold for child abuse material, despite depicting only adult characters.
Lauren Mastrosa, writer of the book Daddy’s Little Toy, was sentenced on Tuesday to an 18‑month community corrections order in Blacktown Local Court. She will also be listed on the New South Wales Child Protection Register for eight years.
The novel, which Mastrosa later withdrew from circulation, portrayed a relationship between an 18‑year‑old woman and her father’s middle‑aged friend. The court ruled that certain passages including scenes involving child‑like role play constituted prohibited material under NSW law.
Mastrosa, 34, from Quakers Hill, had been charged in March last year with producing, possessing and disseminating child abuse material. She pleaded not guilty to all three offences but was convicted in February.
The case has drawn attention to the legal boundaries surrounding fictional content and the responsibilities of authors and publishers in Australia.
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