Investigators have removed two children from the home of a man charged with sexual abuse of a young child and possession of child abuse material.
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The man from Lismore, NSW faces court on July 24 after an Australian anti-child exploitation task force and the intergovernmental police organisation INTERPOL tracked his online activity.
Investigators allegedly caught the 35-year-old sharing child abuse material on an encrypted messaging platform.
When officers searched the house they allegedly found evidence of sexual abuse of a child under 10 years old.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) detective acting superintendent Tim Puchala said "our investigators will not stop in our work to remove child victims from further harm and break the cycle of abuse".
"The sharing of child abuse material online is a borderless crime, which is why the AFP's international network is vital to detecting offenders and protecting children, wherever they are in the world," he said.
Charges laid
The 35-year-old has been remanded in custody since he was arrested on May 15.
He has been charged with eight offences including three counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10. This crime carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
He was also charged with three counts of a sexual act with a child under 10, one count of possessing child abuse material accessed or obtained using a carriage service and one count of using a carriage service for child abuse material.
Support is available for those who may be distressed:
- Phone Lifeline 13 11 14
- Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491
- 13 Yarn 13 92 76
- Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
- beyondblue 1300 224 636
- 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732
Anna Houlahan
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
