In a distressing case that highlights the ongoing battle against child exploitation, a Northern Territory man has appeared in the Darwin Local Court today, facing five charges of possessing child abuse material. The charges were laid by the Northern Territory Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (NT JACET) following an investigation into reports from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The NCMEC had flagged an Australian user for uploading child abuse material online, leading the NT JACET to initiate their investigation. Through their efforts, investigators were able to link the man in question to the illegal online activities. On 13 October, 2023, a search warrant was executed at the man’s residence in Karama.
During the search, the NT JACET, which is comprised of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Northern Territory Police, discovered and seized several electronic devices, including a hard drive, SD card, and two mobile phones. Shockingly, a significant number of child abuse images and videos were allegedly found on all of these devices.
The seized electronic devices will undergo further forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation.
The 52-year-old man was subsequently arrested and charged with five counts of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service, as per section 474.22A of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.
AFP Superintendent Greg Davis expressed the commitment of the AFP and its partners to protect children and bring justice to those who exploit and harm them. He emphasized the grave nature of possessing, accessing, and transmitting child abuse material, stating that it perpetuates the abuse of innocent children. Superintendent Davis stressed that these children are real individuals and should never be treated as commodities for the gratification of predators.
