In a landmark case, a 42-year-old man from South Australia has been sentenced to 23 years’ imprisonment for soliciting sexually explicit material from 10 foreign children via social media platforms. The sentencing marks the first conviction in South Australia under mandatory minimum sentencing provisions for Commonwealth child sexual abuse offences.

The man, whose identity remains undisclosed due to legal reasons, communicated with his victims primarily through the social media platform Snapchat. He encouraged these young victims, aged 11 to 16 at the time of the offences, to engage in sexual activity and send explicit images of themselves.

The investigation began when the UK’s West Mercia Police referred a report of a teenager engaging online with a man suspected to be based in South Australia. The South Australian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET), comprising members from the Australian Federal Police and South Australia Police, took swift action. They subsequently identified the man and executed a search warrant at his Edwardstown home in October 2022.

During the search, investigators seized a mobile phone containing sexually explicit communications with the 10 victims from across the United Kingdom and Canada. Additionally, numerous files containing child abuse images were discovered.

AFP Sergeant Joe Barry emphasised the importance of international collaboration in bringing the offender to justice. “We cannot send a clearer message to offenders – if you engage in these abhorrent activities, you will be found and face the full force of the law,” Sgt. Barry stated.

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