A Victorian man has been sentenced to six years' imprisonment for operating an invite-only, darknet site that recruited young people in Australia and overseas to discuss sexual activity with children and share child abuse material.
The Ringwood East man, 78, pleaded guilty on 17 October, 2025, to eleven online child abuse offences and was sentenced today (23 March, 2026) in the County Court of Victoria to six years and six moths' imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years.
The Victorian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET), comprising AFP and Victoria Police, started an investigation in June, 2022, after receiving a referral from the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) about a man having sexualised conversations with children on the dark web.
The JACET linked the Ringwood East man to the conversations and further offending including sharing child abuse material on the dark web.
In July, 2023, the JACET executed search warrants in Ringwood East, Wantirna South and Healesville. Across the three properties, police seized four computers, a mobile phone, five digital storage devices, a combined 221 CDs and DVDs, 149 magazines and three books.
Forensic examination of the seized items located child abuse material.
The man pleaded guilty on 17 October, 2025, to eleven charges:
- One count of possession of child abuse material obtained using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of maintaining an electronic service used for child abuse material, contrary to section 474.23A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of accessing child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of grooming a person believed to be a child outside of Australia, contrary to section 272.15(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of procuring a person believed to be a child outside of Australia, contrary to section 272.14(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of procuring a person believed to be a child, contrary to section 474.26(2) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of grooming a person believed to be a child, contrary to section 474.27(2) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of grooming another person to engage in sexual activity with a child outside Australia, contrary to section 272.15A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of causing child abuse material to be transmitted, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and
- One count of transmitting child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
AFP Acting Commander Simone Butcher said anyone sexually abusing children online should understand their actions could lead to significant prison time.
"The AFP-led ACCCE and its partners remain committed to protecting children in Australia and overseas from sexual predators and will prosecute anyone involved in their harm," a/Commander Butcher said.
"Use this example as a warning - if you are doing the wrong thing, we will come for you and put you before the courts, where you will face significant jail time."
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.
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.
