Barrister Charged with Child Abuse Material Offenses Found Deceased

Barrister Mark Philip Dennis Found Deceased After Child Abuse Material Charges

Mark Philip Dennis, a Sydney barrister and co-founder of a youth charity, was found deceased after being charged with child abuse material offenses. The 60-year-old was located deceased at his Leichhardt unit in Sydney's inner west on Monday evening, as stated by NSW Police. A report for the coroner will be prepared.

Mr. Dennis, who had been released on bail in January, was facing charges related to possessing and transmitting child abuse material. He had not entered any pleas, and his criminal charges are now expected to be withdrawn following his death.

Mr. Dennis had been released on bail in January following his arrest by Australian Border Force at Sydney Airport. Australian Federal Police officers reportedly found an image of a boy and explicit sexualized chats related to minors on his phone, leading to the charges.

Mr. Dennis was facing charges for possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained using a carriage service, transmitting such material, and a related import offense. He had not entered any pleas and was scheduled to appear in court on March 18, at which point the criminal charges are now expected to be withdrawn.

Mr. Dennis was the co-founder and chair of Reasonable Cause, a charity focused on educational advancement for disadvantaged Cambodian youths.

The Phnom Penh-based non-profit Cambodian Children's Fund announced the cessation of its funding partnership with Reasonable Cause due to the allegations.

He had visited a school in the Cambodian capital in January 2022 for an hour to support a digital education project. This initiative was extended for three years in 2024 but was terminated upon Mr. Dennis's arrest.

Admitted as a lawyer in 1991, Mr. Dennis was previously the principal solicitor of the Western NSW Aboriginal Legal Service.

He also authored numerous articles on criminal law, including a 2017 publication titled "Defending Child Sexual Assault in the Local Court."