Toni Brimble, 70, from Harrington faces Taree court on child abuse material allegations

A retired Mid-North Coast rail worker accused of publishing/promoting child abuse material breached bail by using apps like WhatsApp and emailing his Filipino girlfriend, a court was told.

Taree police station and courthouse.

A retired Mid-North Coast railway worker is facing multiple child abuse material charges.

In addition to the seven child abuse material charges, Toni Brimble from the coastal town of Harrington, near Taree, has been found to have breached bail by continuing to use email and social media apps.

The 70-year-old was arrested and charged at Taree on November 15 last year and later granted bail.

Brimble faces two counts of possessing child abuse materials, as well as three counts of electronically transmitting child abuse material to himself and two counts of publishing/promoting child abuse material.

All seven charges relate to alleged conduct on June 15 last year at Harrington. No pleas have been entered to the abuse material charges.

Toni Brimble leaves Taree Local Court on Monday, August 12, 2024.

Brimble failed to comply with his bail conditions between November 16 last year and February 17 this year and has been found guilty, according to Taree Local Court documents.

In addition to being forbidden from contacting children, bail conditions stipulated he was not to access the internet.

When interviewed by police, Brimble admitted using social media apps like WhatsApp and Facebook messenger “quite often” and that he was emailing his girlfriend in the Philippines.

According to police documents, Brimble knew he should not have been using online applications, but did not know “emails were the internet”.

The breach was established and bail was amended to stipulate he must not use the internet to contact anybody in the Philippines.

Brimble’s case came before Taree Local Court on Monday and it was adjourned to September 9.

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