News Centre

Editor’s note: Images are available via Hightail

An Ipswich man was today (6 October, 2023) sentenced to three years’ jail by the Brisbane District Court, after pleading guilty to two online child abuse-related offences.

Police allegedly identified the man, 66, during an investigation into a report from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about a user transmitting child abuse material online via an online messenger platform.

Three more NCMEC reports were received allegedly containing further information about the offending by the same person. AFP investigators allegedly linked the man to all four reports.

On 3 August, 2022, police executed a warrant at the man’s Bellbird Park home, where a laptop and USB stick allegedly containing child abuse material were located and seized.

That same day, police executed a second search warrant at the man’s workplace in Brisbane City, where a mobile phone allegedly containing more child abuse material was seized. He was then arrested and conveyed to Brisbane City Watch House, where he was formally charged.

Detective Acting Inspector Tim Murphy said this case was another reminder of the prevalence of online child abuse.

“Unfortunately, online child abuse material is not rare, and is a focus for the AFP and other law enforcement agencies,” he said.

“Parents, caregivers and the community are the first line of defence when it comes to protecting our children and we need you to educate yourself about online safety.

“Meanwhile, the AFP and other law enforcement agencies will continue to work tirelessly to identify and prosecute those preying on children.”

On 20 March, 2023, the man pleaded guilty to the following offences:

• One count of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and
• One count of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) 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 at www.accce.gov.au/report. 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 at www.accce.gov.au/support.

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 at www.thinkuknow.org.au, 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 www.accce.gov.au.

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.

Connect with us:
Follow our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube pages to learn more about what the AFP does to keep Australia safe.

Follow the ACCCE Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube pages to learn more about what the ACCCE does to keep children safe online.