Sydney man sentenced for child abuse material offence
A 69-year-old New South Wales man was yesterday sentenced to three years and four months’ imprisonment for possessing child abuse material, following an Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation.
The AFP received a report from the Metropolitan Cybercrime Investigation Unit in Chile in June 2019 regarding an Australian IP address downloading child abuse material.
The AFP’s Eastern Command Child Protection Operations team began an investigation into the account, which was linked to the then 67-year-old man from Liverpool, Sydney.
On 10 December 2019, AFP investigators executed a search warrant at the man’s residence in Liverpool. Several electronic devices were seized and the man was arrested and charged.
He pled guilty to possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
The man was sentenced before the Campbelltown Local Court yesterday and was given a non-parole period of one year and four months.
How to report child abuse
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.
If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available, visit to learn more www.accce.gov.au/support
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protection children online can be found at ThinkUKnow, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation: www.thinkuknow.org.au
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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