News Centre

**Editor's Note: Images related to this investigation are available via Hightail.

A 43-year-old Gold Coast man is due to appear in court today (19 April 2021) to face child exploitation offences following an Australian Federal Police (AFP) child protection investigation.

Officers from the Brisbane Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) executed a search warrant at an address in Southport on the Gold Coast on 19 March 2021, after receiving a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the United States.

The report indicated a person, believed to be in Queensland, was uploading child abuse material using a Google account.

During the search of a Southport unit officers located two mobile phones and two external hard drives allegedly containing child abuse material, as well as a child-like sex doll.

The man was arrested and ordered to appear before court to face three counts of possessing child abuse material and one count each of using a carriage service to access child pornography, making child exploitation material, possessing a child like sex doll and bestiality.

The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years imprisonment.

He is due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court today.

AFP Detective Superintendent Child Protection Operations Paula Hudson said the AFP sees a wide spectrum of child exploitation offences before court and this is a timely reminder that child-like sex dolls and child abuse material could desensitise anyone who used them to the physical, emotional and psychological harm caused by sexual abuse.

“These dolls are not harmless and the AFP will investigate any activity that reinforces or represents the sexual abuse of children,” Detective Superintendent Hudson said.

“This includes sexual gratification using items depicting children, which is why these dolls are legally considered to be a form of child exploitation material.

“This arrest highlights the continuing collaborative work undertaken by the AFP and its partners to protect children and identify and prosecute anyone who seeks to exploit and harm them.”

Members of the public who have any information about this network or 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

AFP Media: (02) 5126 9297