A Western NSW man will appear before Dubbo Local Court today (17 January, 2024) charged for allegedly soliciting child abuse material, following a joint investigation by the AFP and NSW Police Force.
Investigations began in February 2023 after financial intelligence indicated the man, 37, allegedly purchased child abuse material on the internet.
Further enquiries led to the man’s arrest on Monday, 20 November, 2023, with AFP officers seizing a mobile phone.
The man was charged with two counts of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for the offence includes up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
AFP Acting Detective Superintendent Nicole Kenny said procuring child abuse material was not a victimless crime and propped up the child abuse industry.
“These children are real people and are exploited for the grotesque gratification of predators,” Acting Det-Supt Kenny said.
“The AFP and its partners will not stop finding and prosecuting those who seek to harm the most vulnerable members of our community.”
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation 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 are urged to contact the ACCCE at www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available at www.accce.gov.au/support.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. 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.
