In a significant development, a Brisbane man was sentenced to four years and nine months’ imprisonment by the Brisbane District Court on September 15, 2023, for a range of child abuse offences. The case sheds light on the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation and abuse, demonstrating their commitment to bringing offenders to justice.
The investigation that led to this conviction commenced when the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received 15 reports from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These reports highlighted the activities of an online user uploading child abuse material to a single Google Drive account.
Dedicated AFP investigators successfully traced the individual responsible for these illicit online activities. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at the man’s residence in West End, Brisbane, in April 2022. During this operation, the man was arrested, and various electronic devices were seized, including a mobile phone and two hard drives, all containing child abuse material.
A second search warrant was executed in Brisbane City on April 20, 2022, leading to the seizure of a fourth electronic device containing additional child abuse material. However, following his release on bail, the man failed to attend court in September 2022. Consequently, he was arrested and charged with breaching bail under section 29(1) of the Bail Act (QLD) and has remained in custody since then.
During this subsequent arrest, the police also confiscated another mobile phone, uncovering further evidence of child abuse material on the device.
Detective Acting Inspector Tim Murphy emphasised the importance of these charges, highlighting the AFP’s dedication to investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child exploitation and sexual abuse. He stated, “This outcome should serve as a warning that law enforcement is dedicated to fighting child sexual abuse and bringing those who commit these offences before the court.”
Inspector Murphy added, “Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators, and our investigators will continue to be relentless in their pursuit of anyone sharing or accessing child abuse material. Anyone who views this material is committing a crime.”
The man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of accessing, possessing, making available, and transmitting child abuse material using a carriage service, as outlined in the Criminal Code (Cth).
As a result of his guilty pleas, he received a sentence of four years and nine months by the Brisbane Magistrates Court, with a non-parole period of two years.
