In a significant development in the fight against child exploitation, a man from Metford, Sydney, has been sentenced to 2 years and 3 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in an online chat group that shared child abuse material. The sentencing took place on 13 October 2023, at the Newcastle Local Court.
The individual was identified as part of Operation Arkstone, a large-scale child protection operation led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). This operation aims to safeguard vulnerable children and bring perpetrators to justice.
The arrest and subsequent search warrant execution took place on 9 March 2021, when AFP investigators apprehended the man at his home and seized his mobile phone. The investigation was initiated after an earlier arrest of a man from New Lambton Heights, who was found to be in contact with the Metford man, sharing explicit images within a group chat. Further information regarding the New Lambton Heights arrest can be found in a separate report.
The 47-year-old man from Metford pleaded guilty to several charges, including the aggravated offence of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material on multiple occasions involving multiple people. Additionally, he was charged with intentionally inciting someone to sexually touch a child under 10 and using a carriage service to offend.
As a result of the sentencing, the man will serve a 2-year and 3-month prison term, followed by a two-year good behavior bond.
Detective Senior Constable Joanna Kolodziej, one of the investigators involved in the case, expressed the devastating impact of sexual abuse on child victims and their families. She emphasised the resolve of law enforcement agencies to pursue perpetrators and bring them to justice. Det Snr-Constable Kolodziej stated, “People who prey on vulnerable children will be caught and put before the courts.”
Operation Arkstone, which was launched in February 2020, began with the arrest of a 30-year-old man from the Central Coast for child abuse offences. This arrest was made possible through a referral from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).
Since its inception, Operation Arkstone has identified 55 Australian child victims, all of whom have been successfully removed from harm. Furthermore, 21 alleged Australian offenders have been charged with 1301 offences. The investigation into this network of child abuse is ongoing.
