News Centre

A man and woman have been sentenced to jail for exchanging child abuse material on social media and bestiality offences.

The man, 33, and woman, 26, were sentenced in Campbelltown District Court today (5 April 2024) to three years and nine months’ imprisonment  and six months’ imprisonment  respectively.

An investigation – codenamed Operation Aeration – was launched by the AFP following a referral to the AFP Child Protection Unit from US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in November 2021.

A search warrant was executed at the couple’s Bradbury home in September 2022. Officers seized mobile phones and electronic tablet devices and identified child abuse and bestiality material on the devices.

An online conversation between the couple – spanning December 2020 to May 2022 – included multiple exchanges of child abuse material.

A video depicting an act of bestiality involving a family pet and the woman was located on an electronic device.

AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty said the AFP was committed to identifying perpetrators of any form of illegal sexual activity online.

“Anyone who views this material is committing a crime,’’ he said.

“Our message to online offenders has not changed - if you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted.

“This is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators.”

HSI Regional Attaché Ernest Verina said AFP and HSI will always stand shoulder to shoulder to protect innocent children and animals from those that would seek to sexually exploit them.”

“This successful investigation highlights the global partnership in the fight against online sexual exploitation of children.”

The pair, who were in a relationship at the time of offending, had each pleaded guilty to:

• One count of use carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to Section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) and;
• One count of use carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

Further, the man pleaded guilty to:

• One count of commit an act of bestiality as principal in the second degree, contrary to sections 79 and 345 of the Crimes Act (NSW) and;
• One count of disseminate bestiality material, contrary to section 547E(1) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).

The woman also pleaded guilty to:

• One count of commit an act of bestiality, contrary to section 79 of the Crimes Act (NSW).

They will both be eligible for parole after serving two years and six months of their sentence.

The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation 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 on the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.

For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what is online child sexual exploitation and how to report it 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.