Media Release
WA man jailed for accessing, possessing and transmitting more than 2000 child abuse material files
This is a joint release between the Australian Federal Police and Western Australia Police Force
A West Australian man who admitted to downloading and sharing thousands of child abuse material files via free messenger applications has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by the Bunbury District Court.
The man, 61, was sentenced on Monday (15 September, 2025) after pleading guilty to 10 offences. He will be eligible for parole in three years and four months.
The Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) – comprised of officers from the AFP and Western Australia Police Force – identified the man after investigating multiple reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an online user accessing child abuse material via social media.
When investigators executed a search warrant at the man’s Australind home in September, 2021, they found more than 2000 images and videos depicting children being sexually abused on a mobile phone and two tablets.
The man pleaded guilty to:
Three counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material on a computer or data storage device, having obtained or accessed the material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
One count of accessing child pornography*** using a carriage service contrary to section 474.19(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
One count of transmitting child pornography*** using a carriage service contrary to section 474.19(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
Four counts of accessing child abuse material using a carriage service contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
One offence of transmitting child abuse material using a carriage service contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
AFP Acting Inspector Fleur Jennings said anyone involved in downloading or sharing child abuse material needed to understand their activities could lead them to serve a significant amount of time in prison.
“The AFP and its partners remain committed to protecting children from sexual predators and will prosecute anyone involved in their harm,” a/Insp Jennings said.
“Children are some of the most vulnerable members of the community, and anyone who accesses material depicting horrific abuse against them contributes to the demand for others to physically harm them.”
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse. The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is 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.
Note to media
*** For this specific matter, the man’s offending occurred when the legislation terminology was 'child pornography' which has since changed to ‘child abuse material'.
The current 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.
