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28 February 2020, 8:23am
Media Release

23-year-old Brisbane man charged with child exploitation offences

A 23-year-old Brisbane man is scheduled to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning after the Queensland Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (QLD JACET) charged him as part of an investigation into the alleged possession of child abuse material.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) QLD JACET investigators began inquiries into the man’s online activities in October 2019 after receiving a referral from the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).

The information from the ACCCE was a result of intelligence provided by the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the United States in May 2019.

On 13 February 2020, members of the QLD JACET and AFP Digital Forensics Team executed a search warrant at a home in the northern Brisbane suburb of Fitzgibbon.

Investigators seized a laptop computer, an iPod and two mobile phones which, it will be alleged, were identified as containing child abuse material.

Members of the QLD JACET issued the man with five Notices to Appear relating to five offences, including:

  • Four counts of knowingly possessing child exploitation material, contrary to section 228D of the Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld).
  • One count of accessing material using a carriage service, the material being child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19 (1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

The maximum penalty for these offences is 14 years imprisonment and 15 years imprisonment (respectively).

AFP Assistant Commissioner Northern Command Lesa Gale said offences against children online are increasing and international partnerships are vital to fighting the scourge of child abuse online.

“The AFP and the ACCCE works with international partners like NCMEC to share intelligence and identify those who access this vile material,” she said.

“From July 2019 to date, the ACCCE has received more than 11,000 reports of child exploitation involving Australians or Australian children.

“Anyone who produces or shares child abuse material is part of the problem, it is they who create the market for child abuse material online, which causes further harm to children.

“This arrest should serve as a warning law enforcement is dedicated to fighting child sexual and bringing those who commit these offences before the court.”

Members of the public who have any information about people involved in the possession or sharing of child exploitation material 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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AFP National Media: (02) 5126 9297