A New South Wales man, 24, is expected to appear in Liverpool Local Court today (3 November, 2022) charged with transmitting indecent material to children aged under 16 years.
AFP Child Protection Operations investigators charged the man yesterday (2 November, 2022).
Police allegedly identified the man during an investigation into a report from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about a user uploading child abuse material online.
AFP investigators allegedly linked the Liverpool man to the illegal online activity.
A search warrant was executed at the man’s Liverpool home yesterday, with investigators seizing a personal computer and mobile phone. The devices will be subject to further forensic examination.
AFP Senior Constable Mustafa Annous said authorities urged parents and carers to help keep children safe.
“Please talk to children about what platforms, apps and games they are using and remind them never to reveal personal information to any friends they met online,” Senior Constable Annous said.
“Supervision is not only critical to helping prevent an incident happening but can also help adults to quickly take action if they need to alert law enforcement.
“If your child has been targeted, reassure them that it’s not their fault and there is help available – children and young people are never to blame for being a victim of online child sexual exploitation.”
The man was charged with two counts of transmitting indecent communications to persons under 16 years of age, contrary to Section 474.27A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for the offences is 15 years’ imprisonment.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is 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.
