A 35-year-old New South Wales woman was sentenced to a three-month suspended jail term yesterday (19 November 2020) in the Armidale District Court for producing child abuse material featuring a child known to her.
The woman had pleaded guilty on 29 October 2020 to one count of producing child abuse material for use through a carriage service.
She was arrested and charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on 26 March 2020, after an investigation was sparked by a report from a member of the public.
Allegations were made that the Australian woman was using an international encrypted messaging service to share child abuse material of a child known to her.
Enquiries by the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) identified the 35-year-old as the alleged user of the encrypted messaging service.
As a result of the investigation, one child was identified and removed from harm.
A second charge of transmitting child abuse material was taken into account at sentencing.
The jail term has been suspended with the woman released on an 18-month good behaviour bond.
Members of the public who have any information about people involved in the possession or sharing of child exploitation material are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
You can also make a report online by alerting the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation via the Report Abuse button at www.accce.gov.au/report.
