This is a joint media release between Australian Federal Police, the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation and South Australia Police
A 45-year-old man accused of possessing child abuse material and covertly filming adult women inside their homes is expected to face Adelaide Magistrate’s Court today (Monday, 13 July).
The South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET) arrested the man at his Adelaide home on Friday (10 July) after an investigation sparked by a tip to the Australian Federal Police-led Australia Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).
The report alleged a person had been uploading abhorrent content to an online platform and SA JACET allegedly identified the 45-year-old as the man sharing the material.
He was allegedly using a female persona online to conceal his identity.
Investigators will allege that during the search of the man’s home, they found child abuse material stored on his mobile phone.
They also found a significant number of video files stored on the phone that were allegedly filmed from outside Adelaide residences and show the occupants in the homes in various stages of undress and performing sexual acts.
SA JACET will allege the 45-year-old spied on the occupants and filmed the videos from outside the homes without their knowledge.
The man was arrested and charged with:
- One count of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of using a carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of indecent filming, contrary to section 26D of the Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA).
The offences carry a maximum penalty of between two years and 15 years imprisonment.
Australian Federal Police Detective acting Superintendent Gavin Stone said children who are sexually abused have their innocence and childhood stolen from them.
“The person viewing this abhorrent material is as complicit as the person making and distributing the product,” he said.
“Protecting children is paramount and everyone has a role to play because these are crimes against our common future.”
Detective acting Superintendent Stone said adults also have a right to feel safe and should not be spied upon in their own homes or have their private activities exposed for another person’s sexual gratification.
“We will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of anyone who tries to exploit or abuse others and this shows offending online or remotely has real-world consequences.”
Detective Superintendent Mark Wieszyk, Officer in Charge of the Public Protection Branch of South Australia Police stated: “SAPOL and AFP investigators work tirelessly together to stop the exploitation of children and will continue their efforts to keep children safe”.
The SA JACET comprises Australian Federal Police and South Australia Police officers.
The ACCCE, which is headquartered in Brisbane, is committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and is at the centre of a collaborative national approach to combatting organised child abuse.
The Centre brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into child sexual abuse and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have any information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime stoppers on 1800 333 000.
You can also make a report online by alerting the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation via the Report Abuse button at www.accce.gov.au/report.
