AFP logo at EBB Canberra

News Centre

Our latest media releases, podcasts and stories
13 March 2020, 5:09pm
Media Release

Sydney man sentenced for child exploitation offences

A 34-year-old Sydney man has been sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment after being found guilty of two offenses related to child abuse material.

The man was sentenced in the Downing Centre District Court on 12 March 2020 after being arrested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in November 2018.

The investigation into the man began in September 2018 following a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding an Australian-based social media user posting files identified as child exploitation material.

In November 2018, a search warrant was executed at the man’s residence and several devices were seized. AFP forensic examination later identified that the devices contained images and videos classified as child abuse material.

The man was charged with one count of use a carriage service to access child pornography material, contrary to section 474.19 of the Criminal Code (Cth), and one count of possess child abuse material, contrary to section 91H(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).

The man was sentenced to a maximum of two years and eight months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of one year and eight months.

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 .

Note to media:

USE OF TERMS ‘CHILD ABUSE’, NOT ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’

Use of the phrase “child pornography” 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 captures an actual situation where a child has been abused. This is not “pornography”.

Media enquiries

AFP Media: (02) 5126 9297