A West Australian man is scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today (21 May, 2026) charged over alleged plans to sexually abuse a child overseas.
The AFP arrested the man, 49, at Perth Airport yesterday afternoon (20 May, 2026) as he was about to board an international flight.
He was charged with one count of grooming a child outside Australia for sexual activity, contrary to section 272.15(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment.
The man's arrest came after a review of communications data seized as part of a separate investigation into the sale of live sexual abuse of children online.
The charge relates to alleged communications between December, 2018, and January, 2019, where the man will be accused of grooming a young girl in the Philippines for sexual activity.
AFP Detective Active Inspector Josh Gilmour said the AFP was committed to protecting children - no matter where in the world they lived.
"Law enforcement agencies across the globe are united in protecting children," Det a/Insp Gilmour said.
"Police work tirelessly in collaboration with international partners to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our communities."
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.
