Author of novel depicting toddler role-play spared jail after being convicted of writing child abuse material

Lauren Ashley Mastrosa, 34, has been convicted of three child abuse material offences in relation to a book she wrote under the pen name Tori Woods. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP View image in fullscreen Lauren Ashley Mastrosa, 34, has been convicted of three child abuse material offences in relation to a book she wrote under the pen name Tori Woods. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP Author of novel depicting toddler role-play spared jail after being convicted of writing child abuse material Lauren Ashley Mastrosa given 18-month community corrections order after book was read by handful of advance readers The author behind an offensive novel depicting toddler role-play has been convicted but spared jail for penning child abuse material. Lauren Ashley Mastrosa, a 34-year-old former marketing executive for a Christian charity, wrote Daddy’s Little Toy under the pen name Tori Woods and published it through an online pre-release in March 2025. The book – which was read by 21 advance readers – is about an 18-year-old woman named Lucy who role-plays as a toddler with Arthur, an older man who is her father’s best friend. Mastrosa appeared for sentencing at Blacktown local court in western Sydney almost three months after being found guilty of three child abuse material offences relating to the novel. The judge, Bree Chisholm, convicted the 34-year-old and imposed an 18-month community corrections order. “I cannot justify a non-conviction ever being appropriate given the extent that the defendant wrote about sexual activity with such a young child,” she said. While Mastrosa had seemed shocked at her arrest and cooperated fully with police, she had spent months writing highly sexualised content involving a young girl that spanned chapters of the book, Chisholm found. “General deterrence looms large and the sexual exploitation of children even from such an unsuspecting defendant cannot be minimised.” Mastrosa gasped, closed her eyes and covered her mouth as the sentence was handed down and she was placed on the child protection register for eight years. She sat in the public gallery accompanied by her husband, Adam, during the hearing. Earlier on Tuesday, the high-profile criminal barrister Margaret Cunneen SC asked the judge not to convict her client, arguing that she had simply made a mistake. “She was planning to write an erotic book, she wasn’t planning to write child abuse material,” she told the court. There was no ongoing risk to the community as the books, which were about fictional characters, had been destroyed, Cunneen said. “She’s not a paedophile, she’s someone who wrote a book which offended against the law.” Mastrosa wrote the book as an escape after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer and having multiple miscarriages, the court heard. Cunneen said the 34-year-old had lost her job as a marketing executive for the Christian charity BaptistCare, had been exposed to online death threats and vitriol, and would never write anything like the book again. Mastrosa was willing to undergo psychological treatment after being diagnosed with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder since her arrest, the barrister added. The crown prosecutor, Milijana Masanovic, pushed for a conviction. “The book speaks for itself,” she submitted. “The matter’s an objectively serious one.” The novel normalised child abuse material and fuelled the market of child exploitation, Masanovic said. She acknowledged character references shown to the court that described Mastrosa as a kind, charitable woman. “Sometimes good people can do bad things,” she said. In February, Chisholm found that the book sexually objectified children. “The reader is left with a description that creates the visual image in one’s mind of an adult male engaging in sexual activity with a young child,” she ruled at the time. Mastrosa was found guilty of producing, possessing and distributing child abuse material. She did not answer questions when departing court with her husband and her solicitor, Michaela Mate, stepping between her and reporters. The maximum penalty for producing, possessing or distributing child abuse material is 10 years’ imprisonment. In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. Explore more on these topics Sydney Crime - Australia news Share Reuse this content