Named: School bus driver charged over alleged child abuse material

A school bus driver on the NSW Mid-North Coast has been charged over allegedly possessing child abuse material after a tip from interstate police. Here’s what we know.

A school bus driver has been charged over allegedly possessing child abuse material. Design: Eliza Barr

A school bus driver has been arrested and charged for allegedly possessing child abuse materials following an extensive police investigation.

Officers from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad Children Explotation Internet Unit (CEIU) launched Strike Force Trawler in order to investigate sexual abuse and exploitation of children promoted online.

In April 2025, detectives from the strike force received a tip from the Queensland Police Service’s Argos team about a person of interest in Port Macquarie.

After investigating, at about 6.35am Wednesday morning, detectives executed a search warrant to an address in Port Macquarie.

During the search, police allege they located and seized child abuse material stored on various electronic devices at the address.

Police arrested the man after executing a search warrant. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Officers arrested Darren William Jennings, 65, and he was taken to Port Macquarie police station, where he was charged with possessing child abuse data by using a carriage service, using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, and using a carriage service to make available child abuse.

Jennings was refused bail by police and appeared before the Port Macquarie Local Court on Wednesday, where he was formally refused bail by the court to appear again on August 21.

More to come.