The Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) has charged a Perth man for allegedly accessing, possessing and transmitting child abuse material.
The man, 24, is due to appear before the Perth Magistrates Court today (1 August, 2024) after he was arrested and charged yesterday (31 July, 2024) with nine offences.
Officers from the WA JACET, which comprises the AFP and Western Australia Police Force, arrested the man after investigating a report from the United States' National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about an online user having conversations about child abuse material.
Police allegedly linked the man to the illegal online activity and executed a search warrant at his Northam home yesterday (31 July, 2024). Investigators allegedly found child abuse material on electronic devices and those devices will be subject to further forensic examination.
AFP Detective Inspector Andrea Coleman said the AFP worked with partners locally and internationally to help protect children wherever they lived.
"Our investigators work tirelessly with partners around the world to identify anyone involved in their exploitation or harm and put them before the courts," Det-Insp. Coleman said.
"This is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators.
"Our message to online offenders has not changed - if you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted."
The man was charged with:
- Four counts of accessing child abuse material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- Three counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and
- Two counts of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for each of the offences is 15 years' imprisonment.
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.
