A man will appear in court today after he was charged by Strike Force Trawler detectives over the alleged online grooming of a child.
In September 2019, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad's Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from Sydney's south west.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with a 13-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 46-year-old man outside a home in Campbelltown about 6.20am today (Thursday 12 December 2019).
Shortly after, a search warrant was executed at the home, where detectives seized a laptop, mobile phones, and two electronic storage devices.
The man was taken to Campbelltown Police Station and charged with use carriage service to groom a child under 16 years of age for sex.
He was refused bail to appear at Campbelltown Local Court later today.
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.
