A Sydney man is expected to appear in Burwood Local Court today (13 February, 2026) charged with 30 offences, including multiple online child abuse offences.
The AFP will allege the man, 43, uploaded and shared violent child abuse material to an online cloud storage service on numerous occasions for at least two years.
The AFP began an investigation after the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received a report from the United States National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about an online user uploading child abuse material on social media platforms.
Inquiries by the ACCCE and AFP Eastern Command Child Protection Operations investigators allegedly linked the man to the online account.
Investigators executed a search warrant at a Canterbury home on 27 March, 2025, and seized multiple electronic devices, including a number of mobile phones and laptops. The devices were subject to forensic examination.
As a result of the examination of the electronic devices and other inquiries, AFP investigators arrested the man in Canterbury on Thursday (12 February, 2026), and he was subsequently charged with 30 offences, including:
- One count of larceny by persons in public service, contrary to section 159 of the Crimes Act (NSW). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment;
- One count of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment;
- One count of using a carriage service to do/plan harm to person under 16 years of age, contrary to section 474.25C(a)(i) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment;
- Thirteen counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment;
- Eight counts of causing child abuse material to be transmitted to self using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(ii) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment;
- Four counts of using a carriage service to access child abuse material (section 474.22) on three or more occasions, with two or more people involved, contrary to section 474.24A(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 30 years' imprisonment;
- One count of using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years of age for sexual activity, contrary to section 474.27(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 12 years' imprisonment;
- One count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iv) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Superintendent Luke Needham said the AFP remained unwavering in its pursuit of anyone involved in child exploitation.
"This investigation sends a clear and unequivocal message: law enforcement will relentlessly pursue anyone alleged to be involved in the harm of children to find them and put them before the courts," Det Supt Needham said.
"The AFP is steadfast in its mission to protect children, and we will use every resource available to ensure anyone who targets or exploits them faces justice.
"Children are not commodities. They are not objects. They deserve safety, dignity and protection - and the AFP will not tolerate those who prey on them."
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the 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. 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.
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 the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
