Supreme Court upholds life sentences for child exploitation

The Supreme Court has confirmed the conviction of an Australian man and his accomplice for the sexual exploitation of two minors. Peter Gerald Scully and Carme Anne Alvarez will serve life sentences for their crimes under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. In its decision, the Supreme Court highlighted the detailed testimonies of the young victims, who described the severe abuse they suffered. Alvarez lured the two girls, aged 9 and 12, from a mall with promises of food and took them to Scully's home. There, Scully forced the girls to undress and took photographs of them. He also chained their necks and made them watch pornographic films. The abuse continued until the girls managed to escape on September 23, 2024, when they found an unlocked kitchen door. After escaping, the girls reached one victim's father, who took them to the police. Both the regional trial court and the Court of Appeals previously found Scully and Alvarez guilty, leading them to appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court stated that there was sufficient evidence against the defendants. It pointed out that their defenses were weak compared to the credible testimonies of the victims. The court stated that dismissing the victims' accounts would not be justified. The Supreme Court's decision was made public in March 2025, with a prior conviction in 2022 sentencing Scully to 129 years in prison.