NSW man jailed for online child abuse offences
Editor's note: Arrest footage is available for download.
A 60-year-old man who shared child abuse material online was sentenced to four years and two months' imprisonment by the Dubbo District Court yesterday (3 December 2021).
The man was arrested following information provided by South Australia Police as a result of an investigation into the alleged sharing of child abuse material online.
In September 2020, members of the Eastern Command Child Protection Operations and Imagery and Geomatics teams executed a search warrant at the man's residence in Dubbo, in the NSW central-west.
Police seized a number of electronic devices that were found to contain significant amounts of child abuse material.
The man pleaded guilty to two offences:
- Possess or control child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
- Use carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
A third offence of use carriage service to solicit child abuse material, contrary to 474.22(1)(a)(ii) of the Criminal Code (Cth), was taken into consideration at sentencing.
The man was sentenced to four years and two months' imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years and two months.
AFP Senior Constable Craig Eickenoff said the investigation would not have achieved this outcome without the valuable assistance from our state based law enforcement partners.
"Together we share the common goal of protecting our children and prosecuting child sex offenders," Senior Constable Eickenoff said.
"People who chose to commit these offences should be warned that you cannot hide in our regional towns. The AFP and its partners are committed to finding you and ensuring you are held to account."
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
- AFP Media: (02) 5126 9297
- SA Police Media: (08) 7322 3848