News Centre

A South Australian man is expected to face the Adelaide Magistrates Court today (17 December, 2024) charged with 52 new child abuse-related charges.

The South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET), comprising of members of the AFP and South Australia Police, first charged the man, 38, with three offences in December, 2023, following a search warrant at his home in the southern suburbs of Adelaide.

Investigators seized several electronic devices, including a computer hard drive and mobile phone, which allegedly contained child abuse material. The man was charged with one count each of soliciting child abuse material online, possessing child exploitation material online and not complying with a search warrant order.

The man appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 19 December, 2023 and has been remanded in custody since this appearance.

A subsequent detailed forensic review of the electronic devices found a large amount of child abuse material, including thousands of sexually explicit messages, videos and images with children. The man allegedly produced and shared this material with online users from across the globe.

The man was charged today (17 December, 2024) with the following 52 additional offences:

• Two counts of sexual activity with a person under the age of 16 (aggravated), contrary to section 474.25B of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 30 years’ imprisonment.
• Seven counts of sexual abuse of a child outside Australia, contrary to section 272.11 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 30 years’ imprisonment.
• Eight counts of sexual activity with a child outside of Australia, contrary to section 272.9 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 20 years’ imprisonment.
• Three counts of sexual activity with a person under the age of 16 using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.25A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 20 years’ imprisonment.
• One count of possessing child abuse material via a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
• 22 counts of causing to transmit child abuse material to himself using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(ii) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.
• Five counts of transmitting child abuse material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.
• One count of transmitting indecent material to a person under the age of 16 using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.27A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
• One count of possessing child exploitation material, contrary to section 63A of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act (SA). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
• One count of producing child exploitation material, contrary to section 63 Criminal Law Consolidation Act (SA). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
• One count of failure to comply with a section 3LA order, contrary to section 3LA(6) of the Crimes Act 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years' imprisonment.

AFP Sergeant Joe Barry said the allegations in this case highlighted abhorrent offending which had impacted many young victims across the globe.

“The depraved nature of this type of behaviour damages the innocence of young children and has long-lasting psychological and well-being impacts on these children and their families,” Sgt Barry said.

“Any type of abuse against children, even if this is behind a screen, is deplorable.

“The AFP has significant partnerships with law enforcement partners locally, nationally and internationally, and will continue to work closely with our partners to protect children from harm.

“Our message to online offenders has not changed - if you possess, produce or transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted.”

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 on 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.