Bradley Dean Abbott: Illawarra man charged with grooming minor

An Illawarra man is on bail after allegedly grooming a ‘fake’ underage girl online. The 29-year-old was one of five men across the state charged with similar offences in recent weeks.

A Horsley resident will face court next month after allegedly inappropriately interacting online with a girl he believed to be under the age of 16.

Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad detectives allege Bradley Dean Abbott believed he was speaking with an underage girl who he groomed over a three-day period in February of this year, with the intention of engaging in sexual activity.

Detectives arrested the 29-year-old at a Fairy Meadow address at around 6.30am on Monday, March 14 before taking him to Wollongong Police Station where he was charged with using a carriage service to groom someone under 16 years for sex.

Abbott appeared in Wollongong Local Court last month where he was granted conditional bail until his next appearance on Wednesday, May 18.

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Abbott’s arrest coincided with four similar arrests by CEUI around NSW in recent weeks, leading investigators to remind parents to be wary of the dangers of online predators.

“The insidious nature of online predators is that they seek out children and adopt online behaviours typical of that age, such as the use of emojis, acronyms and slang as a way to groom their victims,” Detective Acting Superintendent Adam Powderly said.

“In most cases what then follows is a request for explicit photos or attempts by the offender to meet up in person – an act which could have devastating consequences for a young child.

“As a parent or carer, you should explain to your child that people online may not always be who they claim to be and remain approachable and understanding in the event something makes the child uncomfortable online.”