Media Release
Queensland man charged with possessing child abuse material
The AFP has charged a Queensland man with an alleged online child abuse-related offence.
The man, 19, first appeared in Innisfail Magistrates Court on 30 January, 2025, and was released on conditional bail to next appear in court on 24 March, 2025.
On 30 January, 2025, the AFP Northern Command (NC) Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, with assistance from NC Cairns Crime team, AFP Digital Forensics and K9, executed a search warrant at the man’s home in Innisfail.
They allegedly found multiple child abuse material files on a mobile phone and also saved to cloud-based storage.
The man was charged with one count of using a carriage service to possess child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22A1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for the offence is 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Sergeant Paul Gurn said the AFP, together with its state and territory law enforcement partners, remained committed to protecting our community's most vulnerable – our children.
“Anyone who views this material is committing a crime,’’ Det Sgt Gurn said.
“Our message to online offenders has not changed - if you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted.
“This is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators.”
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (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 online child sexual exploitation is 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.
