Roger Higgins: Kingsgrove man admits owning child abuse material
A nationwide crackdown on child exploitation netted an elderly Sydney man who has now admitted to having child abuse material on his laptop. The 74-year-old man was supported in church by his Anglican pastor.
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An elderly Sydney man has admitted to possessing child abuse material following a major nationwide crackdown on child exploitation.
Roger Allenby Higgins, 74, was arrested on November 26 last year after NSW Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team investigators raided his Kingsgrove home.
He was subsequently charged with three counts of possessing child abuse material, one of which was later dismissed.
Higgins pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing child abuse material and briefly faced Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, where his matter was listed for sentence on September 21.
Police say investigators found the illegal material on a laptop at his home.
He was required to seek a sentencing assessment report at Sutherland Community Corrections which will inform the court what sentencing options are available for him.
Higgins was supported in court by his pastor, Gymea Anglican Church rector Graham Crew.
The Kingsgrove man’s arrest came about after a national operation by the Australian Federal Police’s Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation with state and territory police.
Higgins was one of 22 people charged across the country during Operation Soutien, which in NSW also included outspoken conservative activist Vic Meli.
Meli’s case is ongoing and he will next face Fairfield Local Court on August 17.
It is not suggested that Higgins or Meli are known to each other or that their charges are related.
The ACCCE’s Detective Superintendent Dan Evans, said Operation Soutien demonstrated how collaboration between Commonwealth and State and Territory police could successfully enforce child protection.
“In operations like Soutien we focus on removing children from harm,” Detective Superintendent Evans said.
“Training in advanced investigative tools to help us and state and territory police achieve that goal,” Detective Superintendent Evans said.