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A 34-year-old Melbourne man has been jailed for eight years for committing online child abuse offences. The jail sentence factored in additional charges laid after the man purchased a new mobile phone to access and download child exploitation material after his initial arrest.

The Victorian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (VIC JACET) charged the Greenvale man with possessing child abuse material after executing a search warrant at his residence and seizing electronic devices, including a mobile phone, on 11 February 2020.

He was charged with child abuse possession offences and granted bail on 11 February 2020.

Subsequent forensic examination of the man's electronic devices identified 17 online communications between the man and persons under the age of sixteen.

On Thursday 21 May 2020, VIC JACET investigators carried out a second search warrant at the same Greenvale property. Investigators discovered additional downloaded child abuse material on newly acquired electronic devices. The man's bail was revoked on 21 May 2020 and he was remanded in custody.

On 12 October 2020, the 34-year-old pled guilty to 38 charges in the Melbourne County Court:

• Two counts of using a carriage service to possess child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
• Three counts of using a carriage service to transmit indecent communication to person believed to be under 16 years of age, contrary to subsection 474.27A(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
• Sixteen counts of using a carriage service for child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(ii) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
• Fifteen counts of using a carriage service for child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code 1995(Cth);
• One count of using a carriage service for child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code 1995(Cth); and
• One count of committing an indictable offence while on bail, contrary to section 30B of the Bail Act Victoria 1977 (VIC).

He was today (28 October 2020) sentenced to eight years imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years, nine months.

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'

Use of the phrase "child pornography" 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 captures an actual situation where a child has been abused. This is not "pornography".

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