A man will face court today charged by Strike Force Trawler detectives over alleged online grooming.
Earlier this month, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad's Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from the Sydney's Inner West.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with the 42-year-old mother of a nine-year-old girl and engaged in conversations about sexually-explicit acts he wished to perform on the child.
Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives arrested a 35-year-old man at a home in Sydney's Inner West just after 9am today (Monday 27 April 2020).
Shortly after the arrest, a search warrant was executed at the home, where detectives seized a mobile phone.
The man was taken to Newtown Police Station and charged with offences including use carriage service to groom under 16 years for sex and use carriage service transmit/publish/promote child abuse.
He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today (Monday 27 April 2020).
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by the CEIU into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU; and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
The Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate matters against children and adults, including sexual assault, serious physical abuse, and extreme cases of neglect.
Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. People should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
