A 30-year-old Canberra man is expected to face the ACT Magistrates Court today following his arrest yesterday (29 October, 2015) for online child sexual exploitation offences.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers executed a search warrant on the man’s Flynn residence yesterday afternoon following a referral the previous day from Queensland Police Service (QPS).
It will be alleged police found child exploitation material at the premises as well as evidence the man was communicating with a woman in South Australia.
Police will further allege the woman had provided explicit images of her two-year-old child to the man who was attempting to sell the child abuse material and other sexual services online.
As a result of police cooperation, the woman was identified, including her location and AFP officers referred the matter to the AFP/South Australia (SA) Police Joint Child Exploitation Team (JACET) in Adelaide. SA Police officers immediately referred the matter to the relevant local area police who arrested the woman and removed the young child and placed her in emergency protective care.
AFP’s Manager Victim Based Crime, Commander Glen McEwen praised the efforts of all three jurisdictions working together quickly and collaboratively to ultimately remove a child from an awful circumstance.
“We have been operating the Joint Anti Child Exploitation team model for almost 12 months now, where AFP Child Protection officers are embedded with State and Territory Sex Crime Commands,” Commander McEwen said.
“This is yet another example of police working across borders to remove children from unspeakable situations and bringing those accountable to justice.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Brett Barber of Queensland’s Taskforce Argos said the joint operation was a great example of information sharing between agencies and the united approach to tracking down those who seek to abuse and harm children.
“We are committed in our efforts to protect children and will be relentless in our pursuit to bring these people before the courts,” Detective Senior Sergeant Barber said.
Superintendent Paul Yeomans, Officer in Charge, Eyre Western Local Service Area said, “This is an excellent example of the close collaboration between interstate and federal law enforcement agencies to detect offending against children and identify children at risk. Preventing or removing children from the reach of sexual predators is one of the most important roles of police.”
The ACT man was charged with:
- Four counts of use a carriage service for child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth);
- Two counts of obtaining child pornography material for use through a carriage service, contrary to section 474.20 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth); and
- One count of possessing child abuse material, contrary to section 65 Crimes Act 1900 (ACT).
- The 24-year-old South Australian woman was subsequently charged with one count of possessing child exploitation material, contrary to section 63A of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act (SA).
She was refused police bail and will appear at the Whyalla Magistrates Court today (30 October).
It is anticipated that further charges may be laid at a later date as investigations continue.
Members of the public who have any information about people involved in child exploitation material are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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