A Broome man is expected to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today (5 June, 2026) charged for allegedly purchasing child abuse material from a person in the Philippines.
The AFP charged the man, 45, after receiving information from the Philippines National Police (PNP), who were investigating another person suspected of selling and distributing child abuse material.
It is alleged the PNP investigation identified communications between the person they were investigating and an Australian phone number about the purchase of child abuse material.
That information was provided to the AFP, which allegedly linked the phone number to the Broome man.
The PNP provided the AFP with evidence which included videos and images allegedly sent from the Philippines to the Broome man.
AFP members were waiting to question the Broome man when he arrived at Perth Airport from the Philippines on 10 February, 2026.
Police seized a phone from the man that allegedly contained child abuse material.
He has been charged with:
One count of possessing child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
One count of transmitting child abuse material to himself, contrary to section 474.22(1)(iii) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for each of these offences is 15 years’ imprisonment.
AFP Detective Acting Inspector Josh Gilmour said law enforcement across the globe were united in a shared commitment to protect children.
“Police work tirelessly in collaboration with international partners to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our communities,” Det a/Insp Gilmour said.
“Child safety is a collective responsibility, and through strong partnerships and information sharing, we continue to disrupt harm and hold offenders to account-no matter where in the world they operate.”
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 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. 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.
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 prevent online child sexual exploitation.
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