AFP logo at EBB Canberra

News Centre

Our latest media releases, podcasts and stories
15 January 2016, 11:54am
Media Release

Northern Territory man arrested on child exploitation charges

This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Northern Territory Police.

Police have arrested a 37-year-old Durack man for allegedly accessing, possessing and distributing child exploitation material.

The Northern Territory Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET), comprised of Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Northern Territory Police officers, began investigating the man’s online activities in September 2015.

These investigations led to the execution of a search warrant on Thursday, 14 January 2016.

Child exploitation material was located in the bedroom of the man during the search warrant.

The man was taken to the Darwin City Police station and charged with:

  • Possession of child abuse material, contrary to Section 125B Criminal Code Act (NT). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years imprisonment.
  • Use of a carriage service to transmit child pornography material, contrary to Section 474.19(iii) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years imprisonment.
  • Use of a carriage service to access child pornography material, contrary to Section 474.19(i) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years imprisonment.

He is scheduled to appear in Darwin Magistrates court on Friday, 15 January 2016.

Police enquiries are continuing and further charges have not been ruled out.

NOTE FOR MEDIA: CHILD EXPLOITATION IMAGES, NOT ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’
Use of the phrase ‘child pornography’ actually benefits child sex abusers:

  • It indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser.
  • It conjures up images of children posing in ‘provocative’ positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.

Every photograph captures an actual situation where a child has been abused. This is not pornography.