Townsville: Lau Hansen, 71, allegedly ran child abuse networks

Police allege the 71-year-old was the administrator of multiple online encrypted networks, where co-offenders shared their sickening acts. Watch the video of his arrest.

A 71-year-old Townsville man was the ‘administrator’ of multiple child abuse networks, where co-offenders discussed their heinous crimes, police allege.

Lau Juel Hansen, of Garbutt, was arrested on Monday to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court today, charged with 59 offences including the possession and distribution of child abuse material.

Police allege the man controlled and maintained the libraries of the child abuse material within encrypted networks, in which up to 500 co-offenders discussed their hands-on sexual abuse of children.

A search warrant at the man’s home led to the discovery of a large volume of digital and printed child exploitation material, alongside evidence of his roles within the encrypted platform, police said.

Applying for his client to be released, lawyer Michael Spearman offered up Hansen’s passport if granted bail.

Lau Juel Hansen, 71, of Townsville, was arrested by Argos on February 6, and faces 59 counts relating to child abuse material. Picture: Queensland Police Service

But Magistrate Ken Taylor pronounced him “too great a risk” of both flight and reoffending.

The court heard that Hansen made frequent trips to the Philippines, and had previously served three years and six months, imposed in May 2005, on a carnal knowledge conviction.

Bail was denied, and Hansen is scheduled to appear in court next on April 4.

Detective Inspector Glen Donaldson from Argos, a specialist unit within the QPS that investigates online child exploitation, urged parents and caregivers to take active and ongoing measures around online safety.

“Every day, investigators from Argos see the prevalence of this global crime, including cases where children have been tricked or blackmailed into taking and sending sexual images of themselves, even when their parents are at home,” Detective Inspector Donaldson said.

Lau was identified after an undercover operative infiltrated the online network, according to police.

Originally published as Townsville: Lau Hansen, 71, allegedly ran child abuse networks