A South Australian man is expected to face the Adelaide Magistrates Court Tuesday charged with 52 new child abuse-related charges.
The South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET), comprising of members of the AFP and South Australia Police, first charged the man, 38, with three offences in December 2023, following a search warrant at his home in the southern suburbs of Adelaide.
Investigators seized several electronic devices, including a computer hard drive and mobile phone, which allegedly contained child abuse material. The man was charged with one count each of soliciting child abuse material online, possessing child exploitation material online, and not complying with a search warrant order.
The man appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 19 December 2023 and has been remanded in custody since this appearance.
A subsequent detailed forensic review of the electronic devices found a large amount of child abuse material, including thousands of sexually explicit messages, videos and images of children. The man allegedly produced and shared this material with online users from across the globe.
AFP Sergeant Joe Barry said the allegations in this case highlighted abhorrent offending which had impacted many young victims across the globe.
“The depraved nature of this type of behaviour damages the innocence of young children and has long-lasting psychological and well-being impacts on these children and their families,” Barry said. “Any type of abuse against children, even if this is behind a screen, is deplorable.”
He added, “The AFP has significant partnerships with law enforcement partners locally, nationally and internationally, and will continue to work closely with our partners to protect children from harm. Our message to online offenders has not changed – if you possess, produce or transmit child abuse material, you will be found, arrested and prosecuted.”
