Nicolas Patsalos: Glebe man charged following police investigation into alleged online child grooming offences

A man has been charged following an investigation into online grooming. Police will allege in court the man spoke to a father online in a bid to procure his daughter for sexual favours.

A man has been charged following an investigation into online grooming, with police to allege in court the Inner West man spoke to a father online in a bid to procure his daughter for sexual favours.

Nicolas Patsalos appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Friday via video link, but his lawyer did not apply for bail on his behalf.

Court documents reveal the 35-year-old’s alleged offending behaviour took place from April 17 up until Friday where he is alleged to have transmitted child abuse material “to another person”.

Patsalos is also accused of contravening a child protection prohibition order by accessing the internet, using a smart TV, smart watch and possessing an image depicting children.

Court documents state Patsalos allegedly failed to comply with reporting obligations by not providing details to an Instagram account and “any ‘chatroom information’.”

Following inquiries, after 7am today, detectives from State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad under Strike Force Trawler attended a Glebe address and arrested Patsalos.

During a search of the address, officers located and seized a number of electronic devices relevant to their investigation.

Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a man with alleged online grooming offences in Glebe.

A man has been charged with alleged online grooming offences in Sydney’s Inner West.

Sex Crimes Squad detectives charge man with alleged online grooming offences in Glebe.

Patsalos was taken to Newtown police station, where he was charged with use carriage service transmit/publish/promote child abuse, five counts of contravene prohibition order and two counts of fail to comply with reporting obligations. He was refused bail.

Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation internet Unit (CEIU) into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices. Inquiries continue.

In court, Magistrate Rodney Brender accepted the Director of Public Prosecutions request for an eight-week adjournment with the matter to return on September 27.