Brisbane man charged with online child abuse offences after tip from the United States

A Brisbane man has been charged with possessing child abuse material after authorities in the United States allegedly intercepted images of child abuse being uploaded to Snapchat, Google and Yahoo social media platforms.

The Australian Federal Police-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) launched an investigation after receiving multiple reports from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

The AFP will allege the person involved is a 66-year-old man from Jamboree Heights.

The matter was referred to the Brisbane Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET) and a warrant was executed at a home in Jamboree Heights on 20 August 2020.

JACET investigators seized a number of items for further analysis during a search of the home, including four mobile phones, three tablets and a laptop.

The man was charged and granted police bail with strict conditions to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on 4 September 2020 for the following offences:

• One count of using a carriage service for child abuse material (access), contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code (Cth),
• One count of using a carriage service for child abuse material (transmit), contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code (Cth) and;
• Four counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)

The offences carry maximum penalties of 15 years' imprisonment.

AFP Child Protection Operations Detective Superintendent Paula Hudson said no child anywhere in the world should be victimised because of the perverted desires of some people in our community.

"The AFP works tirelessly with our international partners to keep children safe and to investigate and prosecute those who seek to do them harm," Detective Superintendent Hudson said.

"The AFP will never relinquish our duty to protecting children online, and this is a reminder to those who harm children - we will find you."

Last year, the AFP's Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received almost 17,000 reports of child exploitation, around 45 cases a day.

Members of the public who have any information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime stoppers on 1800 333 000.

You can also make a report online by alerting the ACCCE via the Report Abuse button.

Note to media:

Use of term 'CHILD ABUSE' MATERIAL NOT 'CHILD PORNOGRAPHY'

The correct legal term is Child Abuse Material – the move to this wording was among amendments to Commonwealth legislation in 2019 to more accurately reflect the gravity of the crimes and the harm inflicted on victims.

Use of the phrase "child pornography" is inaccurate and benefits child sex abusers because it:

• indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
• conjures images of children posing in 'provocative' positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.

Every photograph or video captures an actual situation where a child has been abused.

Media enquiries:

AFP National Media: (02) 5126 9297