A Western Australian man has been jailed for two years and six months for procuring, accessing and possessing child abuse material.
The man was handed the term of imprisonment after facing the Perth District Court on Friday (17 May, 2024).
The man, 65, was arrested in September, 2023, after investigators from the Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA-JACET) executed a search warrant at his Baldivis home, where a number of electronic devices were found to contain child abuse material.
Investigations began when a referral was received from the Department of Home Affairs after the man had returned from overseas and was the subject of a baggage examination, during which officers located a mobile phone containing internet searches indicating an interest in child abuse material.
AFP Inspector Andrea Coleman said the AFP, together with its state, Commonwealth and international law enforcement partners, remained committed to protecting children.
"This outcome should serve as a significant warning to those who seek to commit these abhorrent offences - anyone who views child exploitation material is committing a crime," Inspector Coleman said.
"If you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted.
"This is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the gratification of sexual predators."
The man was found guilty of the following offences:
- Two counts of possessing child exploitation material, contrary to section 220 of the Criminal Code Act Compilation Act 1913 (WA);
- One count of accessing child abuse material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and
- One count of producing child abuse material, contrary to section 423(1) of the Criminal Code 1995.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the 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 at www.accce.gov.au/report. 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 at www.accce.gov.au/support.
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 www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
