Melbourne man charged with possessing child abuse material
A 42-year-old Melbourne man is due to face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today charged with allegedly accessing and possessing child abuse material.
The Victorian Joint-Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) investigation into the man’s online activities began in May, 2020, following reports that a user of a website was accessing child abuse material.
Enquiries by the Australian Federal Police-led (AFP) Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) identified a Melbourne man as the alleged user of this service.
A Caulfield North man was arrested by members of the Victorian JACET on 1 June, 2020. Following the execution of a search warrant, investigators allegedly found child exploitation material stored on the man’s mobile phone.
Police charged the man with:
- Using a carriage service to access child pornography material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
- Using a carriage service to possess child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth)
The maximum penalty for these offences are 15 years’ imprisonment.
The man was granted bail to re-appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court today (5 June 2020).
The 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 at www.accce.gov.au/report.
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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".
Media enquiries
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