A leading Sydney criminal barrister, who had been charged with the alleged possession of child abuse material, has been found dead.
Editor’s note: This story contains references to suicide. Discretion is advised.
A prominent Sydney barrister has reportedly been found dead, taking his own life just weeks after being charged with possessing child abuse material.
NSW Police were called to the Inner West home of Mark Dennis SC on Monday night (9 January) shortly after 7:30 pm, where the 65-year-old barrister’s body was reportedly discovered.
The veteran barrister's passing comes shortly after being arrested at Sydney Airport on 20 January by the Australian Federal Police following his return from Cambodia, where he oversees a charity for disadvantaged children.
Dennis was intercepted by Australian Border Force officers, who conducted an “intelligence-led screening” of his luggage upon his arrival in Sydney.
Officers from the AFP and Australian Border Force then commenced searching Dennis’ luggage, to which they allegedly found child abuse material on his phone and devices linked to a cloud storage account.
The criminal barrister was charged with possessing or controlling child abuse material, importing prohibited tier 2 goods without approval, and two counts of using a carriage service to transmit such material.
After spending a night in custody, Dennis appeared in a Sydney court on 22 January for a bail hearing, at which point bail was granted under strict conditions.
Dennis was a well-known barrister within the legal community, renowned for his extensive writing and dedication to mentoring young lawyers.
In 2020, he co-founded the Reasonable Cause initiative to support disadvantaged young people in Cambodia, providing scholarships and literacy programs.
The 65-year-old was scheduled to return to court for the charges sometime in March.
For support, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028, Lifeline 13 11 14, and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
