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A Queensland man has appeared before Brisbane Magistrates Court (Monday, 30 October) charged with engaging in sexual intercourse with a child outside of Australia.

The investigation began when Cyprus police received a report from the member of the public who witnessed an adult male allegedly engaged in suspicious activity with a child on a deserted beach in Protaras, Cyprus.

Further enquiries by the Cyprus police identified the male as an Australian man travelling in Cyprus and alerted AFP members based at the embassy in Beirut.

The AFP Beirut Post made contact with the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) and the Brisbane Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team in Queensland.

A search warrant was executed at the man’s home on 21 October, 2023 with investigators seizing items of clothing allegedly linking the man to the offence.   

The man was arrested and charged with:

• One count of engaging in sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia, contrary to section 272.8(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth)

The maximum penalty for the offences is 25 years' imprisonment.

AFP Superintendent Sascha Austin said the charge demonstrated the AFP's commitment to investigate and charge offenders alleged to be involved in child sexual abuse across the world.

“This arrest should serve as a warning that law enforcement is dedicated to fighting child sexual abuse and bringing those who commit these offences before the court no matter where they occur,” Superintendent Austin said.

“The AFP and its partners, like the Cyprus Police are committed to combatting child exploitation and this arrest highlights the strength of this commitment.”

Cyprus Police refers to Superintendent B', Kiriaki Lambrianidou said that the Safeguarding Subdirectorate of Cyprus Police remained dedicated in investigating such heinous crimes, and regardless of the origin of the perpetrator or the victim, efforts are systematic and ongoing. 

“The prompt response of AFP Beirut Post and the willingness of the investigators to proceed with the information provided by Cyprus Police, indicates that international police cooperation can save lives and souls, especially of the unprotected ones, such as children, and bring offenders to justice,” he said.

The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the 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.

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