Strike Force Trawler detectives have charged a man following an investigation into alleged online child exploitation offences in Sydney’s north west.
In May last year, investigators from the Victoria Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) began investigating the online activities of a Sydney man.
In July 2021, the investigation was referred to the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU), where detectives began engaging online with a man.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts he wished to perform on the child and sent sexually explicit materials.
Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives arrested a 39-year-old man at a home at Gladesville about 5.30am today (Friday 5 November 2021).
A search warrant was subsequently executed at the home, where officers seized a mobile phone, which will undergo further examination.
The man was taken to Ryde Police Station and charged with use carriage service to groom a person under 16 years of age for sexual activity, use carriage service for child abuse material, and use carriage service to transmit indecent communication to person under 16 years of age.
He was refused bail to appear at Hornsby Local Court later today.
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.
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