A South Australian man, 27, has pleaded guilty in Adelaide Magistrate's court yesterday (17 November, 2022) to online child abuse offences.
It was the man's first court appearance after he was charged in September with two online child abuse offences.
The investigation began in March 2022 after the SA Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) - comprising of officers from the AFP and South Australia Police - received a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about child abuse material being uploaded to social media.
Investigators executed a search warrant at the man's Adelaide Hill's home on 5 September, 2022 where they located and examined an external storage device, two laptops, a mobile phone and table computer. The devices were subsequently seized for further forensic examination.
The man was later arrested in the Adelaide CBD (5 September 2022) and charged with:
- One count of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and
- One count of using a carriage service for child abuse material contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for these offences is 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Sergeant Joe Barry said the arrest was another reminder of the commitment from the AFP and its state, territory and international law enforcement partners to protect children and identify and prosecute anyone who sought to exploit and harm them.
"Our common goal is to protect children, wherever they live, and to ensure anyone who tries to harm them is identified and brought before the courts," he said.
The man is next scheduled to appear in the Adelaide District Court for arraignment on 13 January, 2023.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation 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 and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety.
An award-winning podcast launched last year by the ACCCE 'Closing The Net' is working to change that, showcasing that knowledge is power and that our only chance to help prevent this issue is if we bring a 'whole-of-community' response.
The podcast series offers valuable tips and advice on how to keep kids safe online. Listen to the Closing The Net podcast on your favourite streaming platform.
If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available at www.accce.gov.au/support.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
