A West Australian man is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on August 29 on charges of allegedly accessing, possessing and transmitting child abuse material.
The Western Australia Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) arrested and charged the man, 56, on August 28, 2024, after investigating a referral from the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) about an online user having conversations about the sexual abuse of a child and accessing child abuse material.
Officers from the WA JACET, which comprises the AFP and Western Australia Police Force, allegedly linked the man to the illegal online activity and executed a search warrant at his Two Rocks home yesterday (28 August, 2024).
During the search, investigators allegedly found child abuse images and videos on an electronic device, as well as alleged evidence of child abuse material being transmitted via an encrypted communications application.
The electronic device was seized for further forensic examination.
AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Chwal said the AFP and its partners worked tirelessly to identify and prosecute anyone involved in the harm of children.
“The AFP’s partnerships with local, national and international law enforcement are critical to protecting children in our community,” Det-Supt. Chwal said.
“Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators.
“Our message to online offenders has not changed – if you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted.”
The man was charged with 20 counts of transmitting child abuse material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); seven counts of accessing child abuse material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth); and one count of possessing child abuse material using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for each of the offences is 15 years’ imprisonment.
