A man from WA’s South West is expected to appear in Bunbury Magistrates Court today (15 August, 2024) charged with allegedly possessing child abuse material.
Police allegedly identified the man, 42, during an investigation into a report from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about a user uploading child abuse material to a social media platform.
The Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET), which comprises the AFP and the Western Australia Police Force (WAPF), charged the man on 24 July, 2024, after a search of his mobile phone allegedly identified child abuse material.
The man was charged with one count of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for the offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
AFP Detective Sergeant Karen Addiscott said sexual abuse caused lifelong harm to victims.
“Anyone who seeks out images or videos of children being exploited or abused is contributing to this harm,” Sgt Addiscott said.
“The AFP, WAPF and our partners are working tirelessly to protect children wherever they live and bring to justice anyone involved in stealing their innocence.”
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.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. 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.
