CANBERRA, ACT, July 24 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release:
A NSW man is expected to appear in Wollongong Local Court today (24 July, 2026) charged over the alleged possession of child abuse material.
The man, 34, was charged after AFP investigators executed a search warrant at a Lake Illawarra home yesterday (23 July, 2026).
During the search warrant, investigators located electronic devices allegedly containing evidence of child abuse material being shared to encrypted communication platforms.
The man was charged with:
* One count of possessing child abuse material obtained using a carriage service in aggravated circumstances, contrary to section 474.24A of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 30 years' imprisonment; and* One count of causing child abuse material to be transmitted to oneself using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(ii) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Emmanuel Tsardoulias said protecting children remains one of the AFP's highest priorities.
"The AFP is committed to identifying and prosecuting people who access, possess or distribute child abuse material, regardless of the platforms they use," Det a/Supt Tsardoulias said.
"Child abuse material offences are not victimless crimes. Every download, possession or distribution of this material contributes to the ongoing exploitation of children.
"We encourage members of the community to report suspected child exploitation offences, helping law enforcement protect vulnerable children and bring offenders before the justice system."
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.
For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what is online child sexual exploitation and how to report it visit theACCCE website.
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
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
