CANBERRA, ACT, March 11 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release:
This is a joint media releasebetween Australian Federal PoliceandAustralian Border Force.
A New South Wales manis expected toappear inDowning Centre Local Courttoday(11March,2026)charged withtransmittingandpossessingchild abuse material.
The AFP begunaninvestigationinto the man, 31, afterAustralian Border Force (ABF) officers examinedhisluggage followingintelligence-led screening on hisreturnfrom overseason11January,2026.
Duringan examination of the man's mobile phone,allegedchild abuse materialwasidentified.
The matter was reportedtoAFP.Following afurther review ofthemobile phone,the man wascharged with:
* One count oftransmittingchild abuse material,contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii) of theCriminal Code(Cth);* One count ofpossessingor controllingchild abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of theCriminal Code(Cth);and* One count ofdistributingmaterial outside of Australia, contrary to section 273.6(1) of theCriminal Code(Cth).
These offences each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years'imprisonment.
The AFP will allege the manpossessedabout 40 child abuse material images on an encrypted application.
The manfirstappeared beforeDowning Centre Local Courton 12January,2026,where hewas refused bail.
DetectiveSuperintendentLuke Needhamsaid the AFP and its partnerswerecommitted toprotectingchildren fromperpetrators.
"Thosewhoabuseour communities mostvulnerable-ourchildren-should know thatAFPwill be there to hold them toaccount,"DetSuptNeedhamsaid.
"AFPand all of our law enforcement colleaguesare deeply committed toensuring anyone whodownloads, accesses or shares any form of child abuse materialhas theirtime incourt."
ABF Superintendent Elke West said the ABF continuedto be the community's first line ofdefenceagainst abhorrent child abuse material and those who carry it.
"ABF officers use expertise,specialisedtraining and intelligence‑led targeting to detect serious offenders and protect vulnerable children from further harm," Supt West said.
"Possessing online images is not a victimless crime. Child abuse material is illegal, and every image reflects real children who have endured abuse and harm."
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 specialistexpertiseand 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 policeimmediatelyon 000.
If you or someone you know isimpactedby 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 the ACCCE 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.
