Sydney barrister Mark Dennis charged over child abuse material, arrested at Sydney Airport
A prominent Sydney barrister has been charged after Australian Federal Police allegedly uncovered child abuse material on his phone following his return from South-East Asia.
Mark Philip Dennis, 60, was taken into custody at Sydney Airport on Tuesday after flying back from Cambodia, where he operates a charity for disadvantaged youth.
The senior counsel, who has more than 25 years’ experience as a barrister, was refused bail overnight and was due to face a Sydney bail court on Wednesday.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.According to his Forbes Chambers profile, Mr Dennis began his legal career with the Western Aboriginal Legal Service in the 1990s, became an accredited criminal law specialist in 1997, and was admitted to the bar in 2001.
He was appointed senior counsel in 2018 and received the Terry Keaney Memorial Award in 2015 for his contribution to criminal law.
A well-known figure within Sydney’s legal community, Mr Dennis established a not-for-profit website for criminal lawyers and founded multiple charitable projects, including Reasonable Cause Inc, which supports educational programs for disadvantaged children in Cambodia.
“Mark has been visiting Cambodia yearly since 2006 and twice yearly since 2010,” an online profile for the charity states.
“He has been actively involved in philanthropy on behalf of disadvantaged young Cambodians since 2007 – first as a donor, then fundraiser, and later as Chairperson of another NGO. He continues to be an active fundraiser for Reasonable Cause Inc.”
Mr Dennis has also authored several professional papers, including a 2017 publication titled Defending Child Sexual Assault in the Local Court.
