Two Men Charged in Northern NSW Over Alleged Online Child Exploitation

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Two men will face court after being charged by detectives from State Crime Command’s Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad as part of covert online investigations into child exploitation.

Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing Child Exploitation Internet Unit investigation into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.

In the first investigation, Strike Force officers engaged online with a man from the Northern Rivers area.

Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking to a 13 year old girl, and engaged in sexually-explicit conversations with the supposed child and made arrangements to meet her in person. The meeting did not eventuate.

About 11:20am on Tuesday, detectives arrested the 40 year old man on the Evans River, Evans Head.

Following the arrest, a search warrant was executed at a caravan park at Evans Head and a home in Casino, where police located and seized several electronic devices, and items of clothing.

The man was taken to Lismore Police Station and charged with using a carriage service to procure a person under 16 years old for sexual activity.

He was refused bail to appear at Lismore Local Court on Wednesday 10 January 2018.

In the second investigation, Strike Force officers engaged online with a man from northern NSW in November 2017.

Police will allege in court that this man believed he was speaking to a 14 year old girl, that he made numerous sexually explicit comments regarding the child, and he sent the supposed child abuse material.

About 2pm on Monday 8 January 2018, detectives arrested a 31 year old man at a business at Alstonville.

During the arrest, police located and seized a mobile phone. A number of items were also seized during a search warrant executed at a home at Alstonville.

The man was taken to Lismore Police Station and charged with using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years old for sexual activity.

He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Lismore Local Court on Monday 5 February 2018.

Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.

Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

9 January 2018




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