A Tasmanian man was yesterday (30 August, 2024) sentenced to a maximum of 12 years' imprisonment by the Hobart Supreme Court for a range of child abuse offences.
The man, 39, pleaded guilty to a total of 55 Commonwealth and state offences, including the planning, procurement and abuse of children overseas. He will be eligible for parole after serving six years of his sentence.
The investigation into the man began in 2017 after the AFP received 14 reports from the United States' National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding an online user sending child abuse material via social media.
In March 2018, the man attempted to travel to Indonesia, triggering an alert by the Australian Border Force (ABF).
He was refused entry to Indonesia and ABF officers conducted a baggage examination upon his return to Australia. Officers seized a mobile phone which was later found to contain child abuse material.
He was arrested and charged by AFP officers later that month.
The man pleaded guilty to the following offences in early 2024:
- Three counts of engaging in sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years outside Australia, contrary to section 272.8(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- Five counts of encouraging the offence of engaging in sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years outside Australia, contrary to section 272.19(1)contrary to of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- Seven counts of procuring a child under 16 years to engage in sexual activity outside Australia, contrary to section 272.14(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- One count of producing child pornography material outside Australia, contrary to section 273.5(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- 11 counts of using a carriage service to transmit child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- One count of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- Seven counts of using a carriage service to solicit child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- One count of using a carriage service to cause child pornography material to be transmitted to self, contrary to section 474.19(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- 12 counts of preparing for or planning offence of engaging in sexual intercourse with child under 16 years outside Australia, contrary to section 272.20(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- Three counts of using a carriage service to transmit indecent communication to person under 16, contrary to section 474.27A(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- One count of possessing child exploitation material, contrary to section 130C(a) of the Criminal Code (TAS);
- One count of failing to comply with order, contrary to subsection 3LA(5) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth);
- One count of engaging in sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia, contrary to section 272.8(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
- One count of producing child pornography material outside Australia, contrary to section 273.5(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
AFP Detective Sergeant Aaron Hardcastle said the AFP, together with its law enforcement partners, remained committed to protecting our community's most vulnerable - our children.
"The creation, sharing and possession of child abuse material is not only abhorrent, but also has profound and long-lasting impacts on the lives of victimised children," Det-Sgt Hardcastle said.
"The AFP is working tirelessly with partners to protect children - no matter where they live - and arresting and prosecuting anyone involved in harming them and stealing their innocence.
"Our investigators and partners will continue to be relentless in their pursuit of anyone involved in the exploitation or abuse of children."
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.
