CANBERRA, ACT, March 18 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release:
Editor's note:Arrestvision andimageavailable via Hightail
A Wollongong manhasappeared before the NSW Bail Division Courts(13March,2026) chargedwithpossessingand transmitting child abuse material.
The man, 55, was granted conditional bail and is next scheduled to appear before Wollongong Local Court on 6May,2026.
The AFP launched an investigationinFebruary,2026,following a reportto the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE)regardingan online user on an instant messaging application displaying a sexual interest in children.
AFP investigators allegetheWollongongmanis linkedto the illegal online activity.
A search warrant was executedin Cordeaux Heights on 13February,2026,with investigatorsseizingelectronic devices alleged tocontainchild abuse material.
The man was charged with:
* One count of using acarriage service to access child abuse material,contrary to section474.19(1) of theCriminal Code(Cth);* One count ofpossessingchild abuse material,contrary to section91H of theCrimes Act 1900(NSW);and* One count of using acarriage service totransmitchild abuse material,contrary to section474.22(1)(a)(iii) of theCriminal Code(Cth).
The maximum penalty for these offences is15 years'imprisonment.
AFP Detective Superintendent Luke Needham saidthe AFP was committed to targeting anyone who exploitedchildren.
"This arrest should serve as a reminder that anyone accessing or sharing child abuse material will befound and apprehended," Det-Supt Needham said.
"The AFP uses advanced capabilities toidentifyoffenders wherever they are, and we will not hesitate totake action.
"The AFP encourages the community to report any behaviour that places children at risk. Every report helps protect the most vulnerable members of our society and supports our efforts to dismantle networks involved in child exploitation."
TheAFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and theAustralian 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 theACCCE. 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 servicesare available.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at theThinkUKnowwebsite, 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 visittheACCCEwebsite.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
