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17 November 2020, 10:05am
Media Release

Queensland man charged with online child abuse offences

This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Queensland Police Service.

A 45-year-old Queensland man is expected to face Cleveland Magistrates Court today (17 November) on three offences relating to child abuse material allegedly found on his electronic devices.

The Brisbane Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (BNE JACET) charged the man last month (October 2020) after investigating a report from the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), sent to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).

The NCMEC report alleged a person suspected to be in Queensland was uploading child abuse material to Google. Police inquiries allegedly connected the 45-year-old to the account.

Investigators from BNE JACET, which comprises Australian Federal Police and officers from the Queensland Police Service, executed a search warrant at the man’s home in Alexandra Hills on 16 October this year.

Officers seized electronic devices for examination and allegedly found child abuse material stored on a mobile phone.

The man was arrested and charged with:

  • Possessing child abuse material accessed via a carriage service, contrary to s.474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth)
  • Using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to s.474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) and;
  • Making child exploitation material, contrary to s.228B of the Criminal Code 1899 (QLD).

The potential maximum penalty for these offences is 15 years imprisonment.

AFP Detective Acting Inspector Marie Andersson, said the AFP is working around-the-clock with international and domestic partners to bring to justice those who seek to do harm to children.

“We are working tirelessly to hunt down offenders and ensure they face justice,” Detective Acting Inspector Marie Andersson said.

“Anyone who shares child sexual abuse material online is complicit in the physical and emotional harm of children.”

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.

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

QPS Media: (07) 3015 2444