Nicholas Filmer: Police officer allegedly grooms child for sex and solicited child abuse material

A police officer accused of soliciting child abuse material and grooming a child for unlawful sex has had an extra condition placed on his bail.

Nicholas Filmer appeared at Downing Centre Local Court.

A police officer accused of soliciting child abuse material and grooming a child for unlawful sex has had an extra condition placed on his bail.

Nicholas Filmer, 25, of Balmain, appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Friday accompanied by his father with charges of using carriage service to solicit child abuse material and grooming child for unlawful sexual activity listed for a bail review.

In December, the Professional Standards Command established Strike Force Lifebuoy to investigate an alleged incident involving a serving police officer from the South West Metropolitan Region.

After extensive inquiries, Filmer was arrested on June 6 and taken to Newtown police station where he was charged and granted conditional bail. Filmer’s employment status is currently under review.

On Friday, a representative of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions Isabelle

Brooks said she would be applying to vary Filmer’s bail conditions but adding a condition that he must not attempt to contact or go near any prosecution witness, unless through his legal representative.

The application was not opposed by Filmer’s lawyer and was granted by Magistrate Susan Horan.

Nicholas Filmer appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, July 7.

The other conditions of Filmer’s bail include that must not access the internet, unless it is accessing his email, online banking or Google maps.

He must not possess or use more than one device with internet access and must provide the officer in charge with the phone number of the mobile phone. He is to comply with any reasonable request by the police to present and unlock the phone for inspection.

Further to his bail conditions, Filmer must not be in the company or communicate with any person under the age of 16 other than immediate family members, which must be supervised by an acceptable person above 18.

Filmer must not work anywhere that will bring him into contact with any person under 16 and cannot attend anywhere known to be frequented by children. He was also required to surrender his passport.

The matter was adjourned to September 5.