UK tip leads to Sydney man charged with possessing child abuse material
Editor’s Note: Vision of the arrest and images of the seized items are available via hightail.
The Australian Federal Police has charged a 43-year-old Sydney man with allegedly possessing child abuse material. He appeared before Sydney Central Local Court today (Wednesday, 16 February 2022).
Investigators from the AFP Eastern Command Child Protection Operations team executed a search warrant at the man’s home in Drummoyne this morning.
The operational activity followed a report from the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) about a Snapchat user allegedly engaging in sexualised chats and requesting sexualised images and videos of children.
Police seized a mobile phone, four nunchakus, two butterfly knives and one concealed double bladed knife during the search warrant.
The man was arrested at his home and subsequently charged with:
- Two counts of possess or control child abuse material, obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
- One count of possess child abuse material, contrary to section 91H of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years’ imprisonment.
- Seven counts of possess prohibited weapon, contrary to section 48 of the Weapons Prohibition Act 1996 (NSW). The maximum penalty for this offence is 14 years’ imprisonment.
He has been bail refused and is due to next appear in Sydney Central Local Court on 3 April 2022.
AFP Detective Sergeant Jarryd Dunbar said every click on an image or video depicting child abuse is fueling a global industry that thrives off the exploitation of children.
“The AFP and its law enforcement partners share intelligence and work closely to combat an industry that knows no border and only seeks to profit from the suffering of children,” Detective Sergeant Dunbar said.
Notes 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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