Geraldton man jailed for sharing child abuse videos online

This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Western Australia Police Force

A 49-year-old West Australian man has been sentenced to four years and four months’ imprisonment after earlier pleading guilty to possessing and sharing videos of children and dogs being sexually abused.

The man was sentenced in a Geraldton court this week (7 December 2020) for possessing bestiality material, after being sentenced in the Perth District Court on Friday (4 December) for three offences relating to the child abuse material.

The man, from the Mid-West town of Geraldton, was arrested in April 2020 after having sexually explicit conversations online about the abuse of young children. The person with whom he shared his abhorrent fantasies was actually a covert investigator from the Australian Federal Police-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).

The man, then aged 48, also distributed videos of children and babies being sexually abused on encrypted online messaging forums.

ACCCE investigators identified the person suspected of using the account and engaged the Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET), which comprises AFP and WA Police Force investigators.

They tracked the man to Geraldton and executed a search warrant at his home in April.

The man initially denied owning a mobile phone but the investigators later found a phone hidden under a fridge.

Police found child abuse material on the phone, as well as details of an online account that matched those used to communicate with the ACCCE investigator.

The man was charged over the illegal content and refused bail. He has been in custody since his arrest.

After a detailed review of his electronic devices, police charged him over the possession of bestiality images and videos.

The man pleaded guilty in June 2020 to four charges of accessing, transmitting and possessing child abuse material and possessing obscene or indecent articles (bestiality).

He was sentenced to four years and four months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must serve two years and eight months before becoming eligible for parole.

Members of the public who have any information about people involved in exploiting or abusing children, or abusing animals, are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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/Public Release. View in full here.