Andrew Richards of Elizabeth allegedly sent around $65,000 to Filipino contacts for child abuse material
An Elizabeth man has fronted court accused of sending around $65,000 offshore for images and videos of children being sexually abused.
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An Elizabeth man has fronted court for allegedly sending around $65,000 to Filipino contacts for videos and images of children being sexually abused since 2006.
Andrew William Richards, 62, faced the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Monday, accused of accessing child abuse material, and the possession of child abuse material, using a carriage service.
Authorities suspect Richards had sent approximately $65,000 to “various beneficiaries” in the Philippines over 14 years.
He was arrested by South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET) officers on July 16 this year.
Police seized a laptop, USB, several DVDs and CDS, a dozen Western Union money transfer forms and a number of external hard drives from his Elizabeth property.
Investigators allegedly found child abuse material and “extensive communication with suspected Philippines residents” after conducting preliminary examination of the data storage devices.
He was charged by SA JACET after an investigation sparked by information from the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).
It identified people in Australia allegedly sending suspicious payments to “known facilitators of child abuse material” in the Philippines, police allege.
Police said the analysis of seized items was ongoing and further charges may be laid.
Speaking generally, AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Gavin Stone said children are “being forced into the most appalling violence on camera for money” and anyone who viewed this material is “just as complicit in the abuse as those who physically harm a child”.
“No child anywhere in the world should have to be victimised for the perverted desires of some people in our community,” Detective Acting Superintendent Stone said.
AUSTRAC national manager Bradley Brown did not comment on the case but said generally the most effective way to track down individuals committing these “abhorrent offences” was to monitor transactions they use to pay for “child abuse materials” online.
Richards, who is currently out on bail, will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on October 7.
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