CFS volunteer Matthew Richard Gardiner, 32, charged with child grooming offences

A man charged with grooming a teen girl online is a CFS firefighter and a security guard who was pursuing 206 other people for sex, a court has heard.

A southern suburbs man has been arrested for alleged child sex offences. Picture: File

A CFS firefighter and security guard accused of grooming a 15-year-old girl online was “talking to 206 other people for sexual purposes” when he was arrested, a court has heard.

On Friday, an SA Police prosecutor urged the Adelaide Magistrates Court to deny bail to Matthew Richard Gardiner and remand him in custody.

She said Mr Gardiner, 32, spent months grooming the girl over Discord through the username “OzDude”, convincing her to share explicit photos and saying he wanted to impregnate her and be her “baby daddy”.

The girl, she said, reported Mr Gardiner to the Kids Help Line after he tried to arrange an in-person meeting for sex.

She said the state’s elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team arrested Mr Gardiner, and then checked his mobile phone.

“They found he was talking to 206 other people for sexual purposes … how many of those were between 14 and 16 years old is yet to be identified,” she said.

“There are a large number of victims that will need to be identified, and there will be further charges laid.

“There is a real potential that, given the online nature of these insidious acts, evidence of further offending could be destroyed.”

A southern suburbs man has been arrested for alleged child sex offences. Picture: File

Counsel for Mr Gardiner asked he be granted bail, saying he would be “particularly vulnerable” in custody and faced a long wait for trial.

Magistrate Brett Dixon, however, said the online nature of the alleged offending meant there were “no conditions the court could impose” to ensure he did not reoffend on bail, and remanded him in custody until February.

Mr Gardiner was arrested and charged on Thursday with 13 counts of procuring a child for sexual activity and possessing child exploitation material.

Outside court, SA Police Special Crimes Investigation Section officer-in-charge Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Lyons said officers worked tirelessly to protect children.

“If you think you are safe because you’re using anonymising technologies, think again. We will use any tool available to find you and put you before the courts,” he said.

Police are urging anyone who has been impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, or who knows someone who has, to use the support services available at www.accce.gov.au/support.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation should contact www.accce.gov.au/report or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.