Bevan Coker: Illawarra man admits sending, receiving child abuse material on social media

An Illawarra man used popular social media apps like Facebook, Telegram, Wikr and Whatsapp to sending and receive child abuse material.

A New Zealand national living in the Illawarra has admitted to using social media to send and receive images and videos of child abuse material.

Bevan Coker, 50, was arrested by the Australian Federal Police at his home last October, after a tip off from the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children that he allegedly used a Google account to access the material.

Bevan Coker leaves Wollongong Local Court on October 15, 2020. Picture: Madeline Crittenden

The AFP identified Coker using social media applications such as Facebook, Telegram, Wikr and Whatsapp to send and receive videos and images of children being sexually abused.

Investigators searched his Windang home upon his arrest and seized two mobile phones for further digital forensic analysis.

Coker was granted bail by Magistrate Claire Girotto at the time, and faced Wollongong Local Court on June 17, where he entered guilty pleas to four charges, including use carriage service to access child abuse material, two counts of use carriage service transmit/publish/promote child abuse and posses or control child abuse material-use carriage service.

He was committed for sentence in the NSW District Court, and will appear before a judge next month.

Coker was arrested by AFP officers at his Windang home. Picture: AFP

At the time of Coker’s arrest, Detective Superintendent Ben McQuillan said the AFP was committed to tracking down and charging perpetrators who exploit vulnerable children.

“Child sex abuse offences committed online have real life consequences. Every time these images are viewed and shared, children are harmed,” he said.

“The AFP will continue to focus on the protection of children both nationally and internationally from anyone seeking to view this horrific abuse material.”