A West Australian man has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for accessing and possessing online child abuse material, including a fictional story depicting children involved in sexual acts at a daycare centre.
The man, 57, was sentenced yesterday (10 April, 2025) by the Perth District Court. He will serve a non-parole period of three months.
The Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) executed a search warrant at the man's Como home on 22 July, 2024, after investigating a report from the United States' National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) about an online user allegedly transmitting child abuse material.
During the search warrant, officers found child abuse material on the man's mobile phone. The content included more than 130 sexually explicit images and videos of young children.
The man was charged by WA JACET, and pleaded guilty to two offences:
One count of accessing child abuse material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
One count of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
AFP Inspector Shona Davis said anyone who viewed child exploitation material fed the demand for more innocent children to be harmed in its production and distribution.
"Behind every one of these images and videos is a child being subjected to trauma that could stay with them for the rest of their lives," Insp Davis said.
"Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators.
"Our investigators work tirelessly to identify offenders to ensure they are prosecuted.
"Anyone who accesses, possesses and procures child abuse material is committing a crime and you will be tracked down and put before the courts."
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse, with the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) driving a collaborative national approach.
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 or online exploitation, support services are available.
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.
