A Sydney man is expected to appear before Burwood Local Court today (9 October, 2026) charged over the alleged possession of child abuse material.
An AFP investigation began in September, 2026, after the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received two reports from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children relating to child abuse material being uploaded to an online account.
Investigators allegedly linked the online account activity to a 28-year-old Sydney man.
AFP officers from Eastern Command Child Protection Operations executed a search warrant at a Rydalmere property yesterday (8 October, 2026), where they seized electronic devices that allegedly contained child abuse material depicting real children and animated children.
The man was arrested at the property and later charged with two counts of using a carriage service to possess child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
Investigations remain ongoing, including the forensic examination of seized electronic devices.
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 capabilities 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. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at immediate 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.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to help prevent online child sexual exploitation.
