An Adelaide man was today (19 July 2022) sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in the District Court of South Australia for multiple child abuse offences, including the possession of hundreds of images and videos containing child abuse material.
The South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) launched an investigation into the man in October 2019 after receiving a report from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The report contained details about an online user accessing and sharing child abuse material, which SA JACET investigators identified as the man from the state’s Mid-North.
A search warrant was executed at the man’s home on 14 May 2020, where a digital forensics examiner located child abuse material on several mobile phones.
Three mobile phones were seized and were subject to further forensic examinations which identified hundreds of images and dozens of video files containing child abuse material.
Detective Acting Superintendent Rachel Ball said the investigation highlighted how closely police around the world worked together to combat the exploitation and abuse of children.
“Our common goal is to protect children, wherever they live, and to ensure anyone who tries to harm them is identified and brought before the courts,” she said.
“This is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators. Viewing and sharing this material creates an environment where others will seek to abuse children to service this sickening demand.”
The man, 58, was charged with:
- possessing or controlling child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);
- using a carriage service to access child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety.
An award-winning podcast launched last year by the ACCCE ‘Closing The Net’ is working to change that, showcasing that knowledge is power and that our only chance to help prevent this issue is if we bring a ‘whole-of-community’ response.
The podcast series offers valuable tips and advice on how to keep kids safe online. Listen to the Closing The Net podcast on your favourite streaming platform.
If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available at www.accce.gov.au/support.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
