News Centre

A Victorian man who paid to request and direct children in the Philippines to engage in sexual activity was jailed yesterday  (11 November 2021) for 12 years, with a non-parole period of nine years imprisonment.

The Victorian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) received financial intelligence in November 2019 which indicated the now 57-year-old man was transmitting money to multiple accounts in the Philippines, likely for live distance child abuse.

AFP Investigators from the JACET executed a search warrant on 8 January 2020 at the man's Batesford home. During the search, specialist AFP forensic searchers located a mobile phone hidden in the man's ensuite. This phone was found to contain images of child abuse material. As a result, the man was arrested and remanded in custody.

Further examination of the phone revealed Skype and WhatsApp conversations with Filipino women where the man would request and direct the abuse of pre-pubescent children, including penetration by other adult offenders. One instance resulted in a child victim being hospitalised as a result of the abuse.

On 2 November 2021, the 57-year-old man plead guilty to 11 offences in the Geelong Circuit Court. They were:

• Four counts of encourage offence against Division 272 of the Criminal Code (Cth), causing a child under 16 years of age to engage in sexual activity (other than sexual intercourse) in the presence himself and outside Australia.         
• Two counts of cause material to be transmitted to himself using a carriage service, the material being child abuse material.
• Engage in conduct in relation to a child, intending to cause the child to have sexual intercourse in the presence of himself, the child being under 16 years of age and the sexual intercourse having been engaged in outside of Australia.
• Solicit material using a carriage service, the material being child abuse material.
• Two counts of encourage an offence against Division 272 of the Criminal Code (Cth), causing a child under 16 years of age to engage in sexual intercourse in the presence of himself and outside of Australia.
• Possess child abuse material.

Detective Acting Superintendent Jarrod Ragg said the AFP, together with its law enforcement partners both in Australia and overseas, is committed to tracking down and charging anyone involved in child exploitation and sexual abuse of children.

"The AFP works closely with Philippine authorities and all our national and domestic partners to detect and disrupt child sex offenders no matter where their victims are located," Detective Acting Superintendent Ragg said.

"The offences in this matter were horrific. Young children suffered traumatic physical abuse, while the scars on their development and mental health can't be undone and will impact them the rest of their lives. AFP investigators are committed to tracking down those responsible for inflicting this harm and bringing them to account for their despicable acts."

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 or report online.

If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available.

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.

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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