SA teen, 19, charged with online child abuse offences faces court

A 19-year-old has faced court charged with child abuse offences after police raided his Fleurieu Peninsula home and allegedly found exploitation material on multiple devices.

A teenager charged with accessing and sharing child abuse material faced court on Wednesday after his home was raided following a tip-off from United States authorities.

Benjamin Cross, 19, was charged on March 1 after officers searched his home on the Fleurieu Peninsula and allegedly found child abuse material on multiple electronic devices.

The investigation was launched after the Australian Federal Police received a tip-off. Picture: File

The investigation was launched after the Australian Federal Police received a referral from the United States’ National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

Detectives from the state’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team seized multiple devices in the raid which have been further investigated.

He was charged with multiple offices including using a carriage service to access child abuse material, transmitting child abuse material and possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.

He faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday. SA Police prosecutors said detectives required eight weeks for the seized material to undergo forensic analysis.

They said the matter would then go to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration, and asked the case return to court in 12 weeks.

Mr Cross was remanded on continuing bail to face court again in July.

His offences carry a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.

AFP acting Detective Superintendent Ben Moss said anyone who viewed the material was participating in harming a child.

“Our common goal is to protect children, wherever they live, and ensure anyone who tried to harm them is identified and brought before the courts,” he said.