A New South Wales man, 34, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment by the Downing District Court yesterday (9 December 2022) for producing child abuse material and sharing it online.
The investigation started in December 2020 following a report by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) about an online user uploading videos of young girls to Snapchat and a cloud storage and file hosting service.
AFP investigators linked the Kanwal man to the illegal online activity.
In March 2021, AFP Eastern Command Child Protection investigators with support from specialists in imagery and geomatics and digital forensics executed search warrants at the man's home, where officers seized an electronic device and charged him with child-abuse related offences.
The man pleaded guilty at the Gosford Local Court on 9 February, 2022, to 12 child abuse-related offences:
- Three counts of producing child abuse material with the intention of committing an offence under section 474.22, contrary to section 474.23(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- Five counts of using a carriage service to make available child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- One count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth);
- Two counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and
- One count of failing to comply with reporting obligations, contrary to section 17(1) of the Child Protection (Offender's Registration) Act 2000 (NSW).
AFP Detective Leading Senior Constable Amanda Thompson said the collaboration between the AFP and its international partners was crucial to identifying child sex offenders and stopping them from harming more children.
"We encourage parents and carers to report suspicious or inappropriate behaviour towards children to the ACCCE. No information is too small or insignificant; what you provide can help keep children safe from predators," DLSC Thompson said.
The man was sentenced to 10 year's imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 5 years.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation 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 and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety.
An award-winning podcast launched last year by the ACCCE 'Closing The Net' is working to change that, showcasing that knowledge is power and that our only chance to help prevent this issue is if we bring a 'whole-of-community' response.
The podcast series offers valuable tips and advice on how to keep kids safe online. Listen to the Closing The Net podcast on your favourite streaming platform.
If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available at www.accce.gov.au/support.
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.
