Media Release
WA man charged with online child abuse-related offences
This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Western Australia Police Force.
A Mosman Park man is expected to appear before Perth Magistrates Court today (28 February, 2025), charged with allegedly possessing videos and images of children being sexually abused.
The Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) executed a search warrant and arrested the man, 52, at his home earlier this month (February).
Inquiries began when the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received information as part of an investigation into people allegedly accessing a dark web child exploitation site.
During the warrant, investigators seized a laptop and hard drive, which allegedly contained images and videos of child abuse material. Forensic examination of the devices is ongoing.
The man first appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on 5 February, 2025, and was remanded in custody until today (28 February, 2025).
He was charged with:
- Two counts of possessing child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22a(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- One count of using a carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(i)(a) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for each of the offences is 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Inspector Andrea Coleman said procuring, accessing or transmitting child abuse material was an abhorrent crime.
“Children should not be used as commodities for the gratification of offenders,” Det Insp Coleman said.
“The AFP, together with our state and territory law enforcement partners, remains committed to protecting children.
“We cannot send a clearer message to offenders – if you engage in these horrific activities, you will be found and prosecuted.”
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse, with the 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.
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.
