Former lecturer and Fair Work Commission judge pleads guilty to possessing child abuse material

A former judge and university lecturer has pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing child abuse material.

Alan Boulton, 76, faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court over the charges on Friday.

When asked by a magistrate how he wished to plead, he replied: “Guilty, Your Honour."

Police laid the charges following an alleged incident in the Monash University's law chambers in Melbourne's CBD in February 2025.

At the time, police said: "Inappropriate images were inadvertently displayed during a university lecture."

The court heard Boulton had been facing a third charge, but it was struck out.

The academic is no longer employed by Monash University.

Boulton was a former senior deputy director of the Fair Work Commission.

Last year, he was granted permission to travel to Europe while on bail after his lawyers told a magistrate he had spent a "serious amount" on the trip.

His bail was extended, and he declined to comment on the charges as he exited court.

He will appear in the County Court on March 5 next year.