Two Northern Territory men have been sentenced this week for accessing and possessing online child abuse material after separate investigations.
A Darwin man, 63, was sentenced on Monday (18 August, 2025), to 11 years and six months' imprisonment by the Darwin Supreme Court, after pleading guilty in July, 2025, to nine online child abuse offences.
The Northern Territory Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (NT JACET) charged the man in August, 2024, after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers stopped him and located child abuse material on his mobile device during an examination of his luggage at Darwin Airport.
Further investigations by NT JACET, which comprises AFP and Northern Territory Police, identified hundreds of sexually explicit messages and images on the man's electronic devices. The 11 years and six-months term of imprisonment, includes a non-parole period of five years.
A second Darwin man, 57, was sentenced on Tuesday (19 August, 2025) to four years and nine months' imprisonment, after pleading guilty in July, 2025, to five counts of possessing, transmitting and soliciting online child abuse material.
The NT JACET linked the man to the online offending after investigating a report from the United States National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The man was charged in July, 2024, after police executed a search warrant at a Jabiru residence and located online child abuse material on several of the man's electronic devices.
The man's sentence includes a non-parole period of two years and six months.
AFP Acting Superintendent Mark Yarrow said the AFP and its law enforcement partners were committed to protecting children from harm and bringing offenders before the courts.
"Children are not commodities for the gratification of offenders," a/Supt Yarrow said.
"Our message to online offenders has not changed - if you procure, access or transmit child abuse material, you will be found and prosecuted."
Northern Territory Police Detective Senior Sergeant Toby Wilson said offending of this nature was abhorrent.
"Our investigators will continue to track down those who exploit children, and we will ensure they are held accountable before the courts," Det Snr Sgt Wilson said.
"If you are committing this type of offending, expect a visit from the Northern Territory Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team."
ABF Commander Tracie Griffin said this case was another demonstration of the importance of the frontline work of Australian Border Force officers in protecting the Australian community.
"The offender was brought to justice only after ABF officers identified abuse material during an intelligence-based and targeted inspection," Commander Griffin said.
"Make no mistake. Our officers can identify those who exploit children and, with the help of our partner law enforcement agencies, make sure they face serious jail time. The protection of the Australian community is non-negotiable for our officers."
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. 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.
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.
