Shayne Farah faces Campbelltown Local Court on child abuse allegations

An ex-animal rescue worker who allegedly sent child abuse material has faced court for the first time since he was granted bail in the NSW Supreme Court. Read the latest.

Shayne Farah is on bail on child abuse material charges.

An ex-animal rescue worker is accused of possessing, sending and soliciting child abuse material for more than a year in his home, court documents allege.

Wattle Grove’s Shayne George Farah faced Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday for the first time since he was granted bail in the NSW Supreme Court on May 14.

The 53-year-old was charged on February 13 after an AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received a report from the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an online user allegedly sharing material.

Investigators allegedly found child abuse material on electronic devices in Farah’s home the day he was charged.

At court, Farah’s lawyer requested a five-week adjournment because forensic analysis was still under way for the case, which is before the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

Forensic analysis is still occurring after federal police seized electronic devices from Farah’s Wattle Grove home.

Farah was charged with using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material to self, using a carriage service to transmit/make available/publish/distribute/advertise/promote child abuse, using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material and possessing/controlling child abuse material using carriage service.

Police allege the offences occurred at Wattle Grove between January 2024 and February 2025.

Farah has not yet entered pleas following the allegations.

Farah has not yet entered any pleas.

He wore a black pinstripe suit in court where a woman supported him during the brief mention.

Magistrate Peter Thompson adjourned the case to July 9.

Farah’s bail was continued and he must comply with at least 16 conditions including not being in the company of any person under 16, reporting to police every day, not leaving his home between 8pm and 6am unless being in the company of a certain individual and being of good behaviour.

He is forbidden from having more than one mobile phone service and SIM card, and his phone must not be connected to the internet.

Farah is also restricted from using encrypted devices such as WhatsApp and Wickr, and is banned from applying for a new passport or going within 500m of any point of international departure from Australia.