Strike Force Trawler detectives have charged a woman following an investigation into alleged online child exploitation offences in Sydney’s west.
In August this year, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a woman from the state’s south.
Police will allege in court that the woman believed she was speaking with the mother of a 9-year-old girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts she wished to perform on the child, and planned to meet the mother and child for sexual activity.
It is further alleged she believed she was speaking with a 14-year-old girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts she wished to perform on the child on a separate occasion.
Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives arrested the 48-year-old woman at Liverpool Railway Station just before 10am on Tuesday (19 October 2021).
She was taken to Liverpool Police Station and charged with two counts of use carriage service-groom person procure under 16 years, use carriage service transmit/publish/promote child abuse, and use carriage service-procure child under16 years for sexual activity.
The woman was refused bail and appeared at Liverpool Local Court the same day, where she was formally refused bail to reappear at Parramatta Local Court on Friday 10 December 2021.
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by the CEIU into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU; and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
The Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate matters against children and adults, including sexual assault, serious physical abuse, and extreme cases of neglect.
Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. People should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
