Top judge Alan Boulton accused of showing Monash University students vile child abuse material in a law lecture is hit by FRESH charges
A former judge accused of showing child abuse content to law students has allegedly been caught with even more illicit material.
Former Fair Work Commission senior deputy president Justice Alan Boulton, 74, has been charged over material allegedly displayed in the last 15 minutes of a lecture at Monash University’s Melbourne CBD campus on February 5 last year.
He appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday via video link from his private study, which could be seen littered with books and trinkets.
Boulton faces prison if the charges brought against him are proven.
The court heard police allege they have located more illicit material on an old VHS cassette tape.
Developed by JVC and released in 1976, VHS was the standard for home video for over two decades before being replaced by DVDs, Blu-ray discs and then streaming.
The court heard Crown prosecutors needed more time to build its case against the former judge after the new alleged discovery.
‘We are seeking that additional time to consider charges related to a cassette tape,’ the prosecutor said.
Former Fair Work Commission senior deputy president Justice Alan Boulton faces jail if found guilty
The matter was put back another 10 weeks as police work to establish if even more charges will be pressed.
It had taken police seven months to lay the latest charges against Boulton.
The exact nature of those charges remains unclear as media were denied access to court materials.
During a hearing late last year, the court was told the university referred Boulton to Victoria Police, which seized multiple electronic devices during a raid on his inner-city Middle Park home a week later.
He was later charged with one count of possessing child abuse material as a Commonwealth offence and two counts of possessing child abuse material following a ‘lengthy’ investigation by detectives.
During that hearing, Boulton was granted an extraordinary concession when he was allowed to travel overseas despite being on bail.
Prosecutors had opposed the application, arguing his passport should have been surrendered.
Boulton was a senior fellow of the faculty of law at Monash University, which is regarded as one of Australia’s most prestigious universities
But Boulton’s lawyer argued her client had spent a large amount on his international travel.
‘My instructor has been upfront with the informant and police throughout the entirety of this investigation and provided them on July 23 with information about Mr Boulton’s future trip,’ she said then.
‘No issue was taken with that. On that basis he booked the trip. A serious amount of money has been spent on that trip.’
The request was approved by Magistrate Brett Sonnet, who accepted Boulton had no prior criminal history and no issues with police while on bail.
‘Madam Prosecutor, I’m not persuaded that I should impose (those conditions),’ Mr Sonnet said.
The prosecution continued to oppose his right to travel, but without success.
‘The accused did return from an overseas trip earlier this year,’ the prosecutor said.
‘At the time … it was still an investigation. Charges hadn’t been laid at that occasion.’
Monash University (pictured) referred the matter to Victoria Police after learning of the incident
Mr Sonnet – the brother of career criminal Sean Sonnet, who was the former lieutenant of gangland boss Carl Williams – said he further took into account Boulton’s age in coming to his decision.
Boulton had been a senior fellow of the Faculty of Law at Monash University, regarded as one of Australia’s most prestigious universities and ranked among the top 50 worldwide.
He was immediately suspended and removed from all teaching duties following the alleged showing of the child abuse material.
‘Monash University was made aware of concerns relating to an incident in February 2025, and referred the matter to Victoria Police,’ a spokesperson told Daily Mail.
A student who attended the human rights lecture has since recalled his shock as the alleged incident unfolded.
‘You don’t obviously expect when you’re in class to see something like that,’ he told Seven News.
‘I had one female friend in the class who was quite disturbed by what they’d seen.
‘You don’t come into a learning environment with a teacher, a chief examiner and expect to come into that situation.
‘I don’t think that you’d wish that upon anyone.’
