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Justin Radford: Wyong man’s new sex abuse charges

An alleged member of a child abuse material ring has been hit with 80 fresh charges including alleged sexual acts against a child. The Central Coast man had been working as a tape library assistant for Nine Entertainment Co at the time of his arrest.

Wyong man Justin Kenneth Radford, 29, faces almost 90 child abuse charges. Picture: Supplied
Wyong man Justin Kenneth Radford, 29, faces almost 90 child abuse charges. Picture: Supplied

A Central Coast man who allegedly filmed himself sexually abusing children as part of a major child pornography ring has been hit with 80 fresh charges.

Justin Kenneth Radford, 29, of Wyong, now faces 89 charges over his alleged abuse of a child and sharing of the material online.

Radford was a tape library assistant for Nine Entertainment Co at the time of his arrest.

The new charges include 26 counts of possessing, controlling or distributing child abuse material online, 22 counts of disseminating child abuse material, 12 counts of possessing child abuse material, eight counts of using a child under 14 to produce child abuse material, 10 counts of sexually touching a child under 10, one count of performing a sexual act towards a child under 10 in the production of child abuse material and another of performing a sexual act towards a child under 10.

Mr Radford during his arrest in February. Picture: AFP
Mr Radford during his arrest in February. Picture: AFP

He was hit with the additional charges at Wyong Local Court on Tuesday. It follows his arrest in February as part of a major Australian Federal Police investigation.

He was initially charged with nine offences, which included doing and filming a sexual act on a child and bestiality.

Police allege Radford, who was the first of four men to be arrested as part of the investigation, had stored the alleged material on cloud storage services and electronic devices.

Australia Federal Police detectives arrest Mr Radford at his Central Coast home. Picture: AFP
Australia Federal Police detectives arrest Mr Radford at his Central Coast home. Picture: AFP

Police further allege these images and his subsequent sharing of the images and footage online with others linked Radford to his alleged abuse of the child.

At the time of his arrest, officers seized several electronic devices from his home, with further investigation of the devices allegedly leading police to discover more of the alleged abuse material.

Police began investigating Radford following a tip-off from the United States’ National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children early this year.

Police said Radford’s arrest linked him to other men across Australia with alleged links to the child abuse network.

Wyong man Justin Kenneth Radford, 29, is charged with a string of offences, including using a child to make child abuse material. Picture: Supplied
Wyong man Justin Kenneth Radford, 29, is charged with a string of offences, including using a child to make child abuse material. Picture: Supplied

Grant Harden, 30, of St Marys, faces charges over the alleged sexual abuse of four boys and the production of child exploitation material.

It’s alleged Harden shared videos and images of the abuse online and engaged in sexual acts with two dogs.

Harden faces 10 charges, 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.

Grant Harden, 29, of St Marys, has been refused bail after being charged with producing child abuse material. Picture: Facebook
Grant Harden, 29, of St Marys, has been refused bail after being charged with producing child abuse material. Picture: Facebook
Glenwood man Richard Spry, 48, leaves Penrith Local Court. He is charged over the alleged possession of child abuse material. Picture: Kate Lockley
Glenwood man Richard Spry, 48, leaves Penrith Local Court. He is charged over the alleged possession of child abuse material. Picture: Kate Lockley

Richard Martin Spry, 48, of Glenwood, was also charged in the operation and faces one count of possessing child abuse material using a carriage service.

A 28-year-old Queensland man, from the town of Hervey Bay, faces one charge of transmitting and possessing child abuse material.

All men remain before the courts.

Police investigations into the alleged child abuse ring continue, with further arrests expected.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/justin-radford-wyong-mans-new-sex-abuse-charges/news-story/4d6c534d2e89ab4d75a9aa9e7f400537