Media Release
SA man charged with alleged online child abuse offence
Editor’s note: Arrest vision and images are available via Hightail.
A South Australian man is scheduled to appear in the Murray Bridge Magistrates Court today (28 July, 2025) charged with allegedly possessing child abuse material.
The South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET), allegedly identified the man, 70, while investigating a report from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about child abuse material being uploaded to a social media platform.
SA JACET, which comprises officers from the AFP and South Australia Police, executed a search warrant at the man’s Mannum home on 27 May, 2025, where they seized a mobile phone for forensic examination.
Officers subsequently allegedly found child abuse material located on the phone and the man was charged on 30 May, 2025 with one count of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for the offence is 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Sergeant Jarrod Cook said the AFP and local and international law enforcement partners were committed to protecting children.
“Children should not be used as commodities for the gratification of offenders,” Det Sgt Cook said.
“We cannot send a clearer message to offenders – if you engage in these horrific activities, you will be found, charged and prosecuted.”
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse, with the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) driving a collaborative national approach.
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.
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.
