A man will face court today after being charged by Strike Force Trawler detectives over the alleged procurement of a child online, NSW Police say.
Last month, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from Sydney’s north-west.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking to a 14-year-old girl and engaged in sexually-explicit conversations and made arrangements to meet the child in person.
Following extensive investigations, Strike Force Trawler detectives arrested a 63-year-old man at Westmead about 12.30pm yesterday (Thursday 12 July 2018).
Shortly after the arrest, detectives executed a search warrant at a Castle Hill home, where they seized computers and electronic storage devices.
The man was taken to Parramatta Police Station and charged with use carriage service to procure person under 16 years for sex.
He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court later today (Friday 13 July 2018).
Investigations are continuing.
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.
Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers.
