News Centre

A NSW Central Coast man is expected to appear before Gosford Local Court today (22 November, 2024) charged with three online child abuse-related offences.

AFP Eastern Command Child Protection Operations officers charged the man, 34, on 5 November 2024 after he was arrested on the Central Coast.

Investigations began after the AFP received a report from the Western Australia Police Force about an individual allegedly engaging in indecent communications with a child.

AFP investigators allegedly linked the man to the illegal online activity.

A search warrant was executed at the man's Central Coast home on 5 November, 2024, with investigators allegedly finding child abuse material on electronic devices. The devices will be subject to further forensic examination.

The man was arrested and charged with:

• Using a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a person under 16 years of age contrary to section 474.25A of the Criminal Code (Cth);
• Using a carriage service to groom person under 16 years of age contrary to section 474.27 of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
• Possessing child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth).

The maximum penalty for these offences is 20 years' imprisonment.

The man appeared before Gosford Local Court on 5 November, 2024, and was granted strict conditional bail before his scheduled appearance today.

AFP Detective Acting Inspector Emmanuel Tsardoulias said the AFP worked tirelessly with partners locally and around the world to protect children and bring to justice anyone involved in their harm.

"Soliciting, accessing or possessing child abuse material is not a victimless crime, it contributes to the demand for the physical exploitation and abuse of children and can cause immeasurable harm," Det. A/Insp Tsardoulias said.

"The AFP, together with its state and territory law enforcement partners, remains committed to protecting our community's most vulnerable."

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. 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.

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 the ThinkUKnow website, 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 the ACCCE website.

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.