Quakers Hill man charged with child porn offence

A Quakers Hill man was arrested at Sydney Airport on Tuesday, charged with allegedly soliciting pornographic videos from a 15-year-old girl.

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A Quakers Hill man has been arrested over child pornography offences after stepping off a plane Sydney Airport on Tuesday morning.

Police will allege in court that the man, 25, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a 15-year-old girl that he met on social media, requesting and receiving videos deemed to be child exploitation material.

The man was arrested at Sydney Airport on Tuesday morning after arriving on a flight from the US. Picture: NSW Police Force

In December Queensland police tipped off detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit to the man’s alleged activities, sparking an investigation by Strike Force Trawler.

Police struck about 9.45am yesterday when the man arrived back in the country on a flight from the US, in an operation that also involved the Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police.

It is alleged the man requested videos from the girl. Picture: NSW Police Force

Police also searched a Quakers Hill home, seizing mobile phones, a computer, laptop and electronic storage devices.

The man was taken to Mascot police station where he was charged with using a carriage service to solicit child pornography.

He has been granted strict conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on January 31.

Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Linda Howlett, the Director of Crime Operations for the State Crime Command, said police will allege the man had “very explicit sexual conversations” with the minor.

She said the pair spoke via a number of social media applications, and police became suspicious after observing online activity: “Tragically (they met) through social media.”

The man will face court later this month.

“We’ve got a number of predators out there who are trying to engage with children. Sometimes they purport to be children themselves.

“They start by becoming their friends … and then they engage in conversations, basically requestion information about the particular victim, they request photos of the victim. They also request sexually explicit images to be sent to them.”

Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Howlett urged parents to have “very frank conversations with their child” about who they are interacting with online.

“Tragically this happens on a daily basis,” she said.

The investigation continues.