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The AFP has charged a Wollongong man with seven child abuse related offences after he allegedly groomed three Australian children online.

The man, 38, appeared in the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday (22 October, 2024) and is expected to face court again on 5 November, 2024.

The AFP arrested and charged the man on 6 September, 2024 after receiving a report from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).

It will be alleged the man groomed three children located in Brisbane, Adelaide and Central NSW using online gaming platforms and social media applications.

The AFP’s investigation started after a mother made a report to the ACCCE about a stranger contacting her child online.

Inquiries by the AFP identified the alleged perpetrator and victims.

The man has been charged with seven offences:

• Three counts of using a carriage service to groom persons under 16 years of age (with sender), contrary to section 474.27(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
• Three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.25A(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 20 years’ imprisonment; and
• One count of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence, in circumstances of aggravation, contrary to section 474.17A(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is six years’ imprisonment.

The children allegedly linked to this matter have been identified and are being provided support.

About Victim Identification:

Victim identification involves the detailed analysis of images and videos to identify and locate victims of child sexual abuse. 

The AFP victim identification specialists are a dedicated group of investigators, who work  with victim identification specialists around the country and internationally to find victims of child abuse in the shortest time possible.

About the ACCCE:

The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the ACCCE is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.

The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE at www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.

If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available at www.accce.gov.au/support.

Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.

For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what is online child sexual exploitation and how to report it visit www.accce.gov.au.

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.