A South Australian man who transmitted child abuse material via an online platform has been sentenced by the Adelaide Magistrates Court to four years' and five months imprisonment.
The South Australian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET) - comprising officers from the AFP and South Australia Police - started an investigation in 2022 after the AFP received a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about child abuse material being uploaded to social media.
The AFP linked the man, 27, to the account and executed a search warrant on 5 September, 2022, at his Adelaide Hill's home.
Police seized an external storage device, two laptops, a mobile phone and tablet computer, which were all found to contain child abuse material (CAM).
The man pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
He was today (28 April 2023) sentenced to four years and five months imprisonment with a two year non-parole period.
AFP Detective Sergeant Joe Barry said the sentencing was a reminder of the commitment from the AFP and its state, territory and international law enforcement partners to protect children and identify and prosecute anyone who sought to exploit and harm them.
"Our investigators work tirelessly to identify offenders to ensure they are prosecuted," Detective Sergeant Barry said.
"In sentencing, Her Honour reminded us that this type of offending has serious impact on real people - this is not a victimless offence.
"Our common goal is to protect children, wherever they live, and to ensure anyone who tries to harm them is identified and brought before the courts."
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
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 at www.accce.gov.au/report. 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 at www.accce.gov.au/support.
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 www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
