A man has been charged after allegedly publishing child abuse material online following an investigation by Strike Force Trawler detectives.
In April this year, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad's Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from the state's north.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with an 11-year-old girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts he wished to perform on the child in the presence of another 11-year-old child.
Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a home at Moree about 9am yesterday (Thursday 28 May 2020), and seized a laptop computer.
A 47-year-old man was arrested and taken to Moree Police Station, where he was charged with use carriage service to transmit/publish/promote child abuse.
He was refused bail and appeared at Tamworth Local Court yesterday, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court today (Friday 29 May 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 the suspected abuse or exploitation of children 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.
