A West Australian man is expected to face Perth Magistrates Court today (20 May, 2026) charged with six counts of possession of child abuse material.
The AFP arrested the man, 31, this morning after investigating information from authorities in the United Kingdom about an Australian user allegedly accessing a darknet forum where child abuse material was shared.
The AFP allegedly linked the man to the internet activity and executed a search warrant at a Como home this morning.
AFP members, supported by an AFP technology detection dog, identified alleged child abuse material on an Apple MacBook, iPhone and various USBs.
The devices were seized for further forensic examination.
The man was charged with:
Six counts of possessing and controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Acting Inspector Josh Gilmour said the AFP worked closely with local, national and international partners to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
"The AFP is working tirelessly to keep children safe and ensure anyone who tries to harm them is identified, located and prosecuted," Det a/Insp Gilmour said.
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.
