Justin Radford, Grant Harden, Richard Spry: Alleged child abuse ring
The Central Coast man alleged to be part of a child abuse network has been pictured for the first time. Justin Radford is among four arrests and faces a raft of charges including making child abuse material, sexually touching a child and sending child abuse material.
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The Central Coast man arrested as part of an alleged child abuse sting can be pictured for the first time.
Justin Kenneth Radford, 29, faces nine charges including doing and filming a sexual act on a child, inciting a child to perform a sexual act, use child to make child abuse material, two counts of sexually touch child, two counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material, one count of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material and bestiality.
The Wyong man faced Central Local Court last Wednesday after being charged as part of an ongoing AFP operation having been arrested earlier this year.
Police allege information gathered from his electronic devices led authorities to a Hervey Bay man, who he had been communicating with via an instant messaging application.
The Hervey Bay arrest in turn led to the arrest of two western Sydney men.
The men, aged 29 and 48, who police say are known to each other, face a combined 11 charges, with the younger man charged with sexual intercourse with a child under 10 and producing child abuse material.
The older man faces one count of possessing child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.
The charges come after the Australian Federal Police’s Operation Arkstone began probing an online network in February following a tip off from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Last week AFP officers with the help of NSW Police Force Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad, swooped on the man’s western Sydney home and removed a child from harm.
Grant Harden, 29, is accused of sexually abusing a young boy and creating and producing child exploitation material.
The St Marys man was allegedly sharing videos and images of the abuse online along with other child abuse material.
It will be alleged in court he also sexually abused three other boys and engaged in sexual acts with two dogs, which have been removed from his care.
He has been charged with 10 offences including sexual intercourse with a child under 10, three counts of intentionally touch child under 10, bestiality, two counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, two counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material, and one count of possessing, controlling or producing child abuse material.
Several electronic items – which allegedly contain child abuse images and videos – and other evidence were seized from the his home during the raid.
Harden appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday where he was remanded in custody to next appear on June 9. He faces 14 years to life in jail if found guilty of the offences.
Last Friday, police raided the home of 48-year-old Glenwood man, Richard Martin Spry, who police allege is known to the St Marys man.
It’s alleged images and videos of child abuse material were found on his mobile phone.
Spry appeared at Penrith Local Court on Tuesday via video link, where he was granted bail.
The prosecution told the court that a police interview with Harden had “implicated Mr Spry in a separate serious offence” and led to his arrest.
“Mr Spry has made a number of admissions. He states everything in the warrant is in his mobile phone, and child abuse material is later found on his device,” the prosecution said.
It was alleged the man uninstalled a secure folder on his phone prior to the raid and later told officers he was “scared of being investigated by police”.
The prosecution said it was likely Spry would face further charges during the police investigation.
In arguing for bail, the man’s solicitor said it was important that the court put “appropriate weight” on the evidence given by Harden.
He told the court Spry worked for an airconditioning company and was married.
Granting bail, Magistrate Geoff Hiatt ordered that he live at his parents’ home in Kenthurst and only access the internet for work purposes. He was banned from using social media and contacting Harden.
The matter will return to Penrith Local Court on July 10.