A NSW man appeared before Wyong Local Court yesterday (15 May, 2025) charged with accessing child abuse material and grooming a minor online.
An investigation began on 13 May, 2025, after the AFP received a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about child abuse material being uploaded to a social media platform.
The AFP allegedly linked a Charmhaven man, 36, to the illegal activity.
A search warrant was executed at the man's home on 14 May, 2025 and a mobile phone was seized.
An examination of the phone revealed allegedly sexualised conversations with a female minor.
The man was charged with:
- One count of using a carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
- One count of using a carriage service to groom a person under 16, contrary to section 474.27(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for each offence is 15 years' imprisonment.
The man was refused bail and is scheduled to appear in the same court on 8 July, 2025.
AFP Detective Acting Inspector Glen Evans said children deserved to feel safe and should not be exploited for the gratification of others.
"This offending is traumatic for victims and has a lifelong impact," Det a/Insp Evans said.
"Criminals who possess and share this abhorrent material are warned - you will be identified, located and prosecuted.
"We thank the swift work of our investigators who work tirelessly to protect children."
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australia 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.
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.
