Adelaide 53-year-old jailed for possessing more than 30,000 digital files of child abuse material
A 53-year-old Adelaide man charged with having more than 30,000 images and videos depicting children being sexually exploited and abused has been sentenced to one year and nine months’ imprisonment by the Adelaide District Court today (22 September).
The South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET) found the abhorrent content on a computer, phone, USBs and external hard drives, which they seized from the man’s home during a search warrant in November 2019.
They also found a list of handwritten website addresses, for sites which police said featured child abuse material.
Police had launched an investigation in October 2019 after receiving information that a computer user in Australia had allegedly accessed and traded child abuse material through a peer-to-peer network.
The account was connected to the Adelaide man, then aged 52, and police found child abuse material on his laptop when they searched his home.
They catalogued thousands of images and dozens of videos depicting child abuse material when they did a detailed forensic examination of several seized devices.
The man was charged with possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessing using a carriage service and pleaded guilty to the offence on 30 April 2020.
The District Court ordered the man must serve 10 months in prison before he can be released. He can then enter a recognisance release order (good behaviour order) for 12 months.
SA JACET is a partnership between the Australian Federal Police and South Australia Police.
Members of the public who have any information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
You can also make a report online by alerting the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation via the Report Abuse button at www.accce.gov.au/report.
For practical tips for parents, carers and schools to help keep kids safe, visit the ACCCE website.
Note to media:
Use of term ‘CHILD ABUSE’ MATERIAL NOT ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’
The correct legal term is Child Abuse Material – the move to this wording was among amendments to Commonwealth legislation in 2019 to more accurately reflect the gravity of the crimes and the harm inflicted on victims.
Use of the phrase "child pornography" is inaccurate and benefits child sex abusers because it:
indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
conjures images of children posing in 'provocative' positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.
Every photograph or video captures an actual situation where a child has been abused.
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