SYDNEY — A Sydney court sentenced former marketing executive Lauren Ashley Mastrosa to an 18-month community corrections order and placed her on the child protection register for eight years after convicting her of producing, possessing and distributing child abuse material in a novel she wrote. Judge Bree Chisholm imposed the sentence after finding Mastrosa guilty of the three offences, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment in Australia.

Mastrosa, 34, a former marketing executive for the Christian charity BaptistCare, wrote the novel Daddy's Little Toy under the pen name Tori Woods. The book was published through an online pre-release in March 2025 and was read by 21 advance readers. It depicts an 18-year-old woman named Lucy who role-plays as a toddler with an older man who is her father's best friend.

In February, Chisholm found that the novel sexually objectified children and ruled that it created a visual image of an adult male engaging in sexual activity with a young child. Crown prosecutor Milijana Masanovic pushed for a conviction at the sentencing hearing, telling the court the novel normalised child abuse material and fuelled the market of child exploitation.

"I cannot justify a non-conviction ever being appropriate given the extent that the defendant wrote about sexual activity with such a young child," Chisholm said at sentencing. She added: "General deterrence looms large and the sexual exploitation of children even from such an unsuspecting defendant cannot be minimised."

Appearing for the defence, Margaret Cunneen SC told the court: "She was planning to write an erotic book, she wasn't planning to write child abuse material." Cunneen added: "She's not a paedophile, she's someone who wrote a book which offended against the law."

The court heard Mastrosa wrote the book after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer and having multiple miscarriages. It also heard she lost her job at BaptistCare after the novel's publication and was exposed to online death threats and vitriol. The court was told she was willing to undergo psychological treatment after being diagnosed with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder since her arrest.

Mastrosa appeared at the hearing accompanied by her husband, Adam. She did not answer questions when leaving the court, and her solicitor, Michaela Mate, stepped between her and reporters. Mastrosa can appeal against the conviction and sentence.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800, Bravehearts at 1800 272 831, or Blue Knot Foundation at 1300 657 380.