Darwin man charged over alleged child abuse material offences
A 31-year-old Darwin man charged with child abuse material offences is due to face Darwin Local Court today (Wednesday, 4 November) after an investigation by the Northern Territory Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team.
The Northern Territory JACET began its investigation in May 2020 after the Australian Federal Police (AFP) identified an online user accessing child abuse material via peer-to-peer networks.
On 21 October, 2020 investigators from the Northern Territory JACET executed a search warrant at a home in the Darwin suburb of Bayview.
Investigators seized a laptop and a mobile phone for digital forensic analysis. It will be alleged a review of the laptop at the scene identified it had been used to access child abuse material.
A 31-year-old Bayview man was charged with:
- accessing child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth)
- accessing child pornography, contrary to section 474.19(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth)
- possessing child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth)
The maximum penalty for each these offences is 15 years imprisonment.
AFP Child Protection Operations Detective Superintendent Paula Hudson said the AFP is working tireless to identify those who access and share child abuse material online.
"We work closely with our state police partners to share intelligence and locate offenders who think they can share this abhorrent material under a cloak on anonymity," Detective Superintendent Hudson said.
"My message to those who think they can get away with sharing child abuse material is simple – you will be brought out from behind your computers to face the full force of the law."
The Northern Territory JACET is a joint agency taskforce comprised of members from the AFP and Northern Territory Police.
The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and is at the centre of a collaborative national approach to combatting organised child abuse.
The Centre brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into child sexual abuse and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
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.
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.
Media enquiries
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