New Lambton Heights man Bret Chesworth jailed for child abuse material

Bret Anthony Chesworth hid a secret life from neighbours accessing and transmitting child abuse material online through social media platforms. He has now been sentenced.

A New Lambton Heights man linked to an alleged national online child exploitation network smashed by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) last year has been jailed for at least two and a half years.

Bret Anthony Chesworth, 55, hid a secret life from neighbours, accessing and transmitting child abuse material online through social media platforms.

He was charged as part of Operation Arkstone in November 2020, after members of the AFP Eastern Command Child Protection Operations executed a search warrant at his home and seized two electronic devices which were found to contain child abuse material.

Police facts state the devices included videos of adults sexually abusing babies and toddlers and stored online.

Stored online chats also revealed the 55-year-old had encouraged another man to record himself abusing his own child.

In June, Chesworth pleaded guilty to seven offences which included possession of child abuse material and using a carriage service to transmit and access child abuse material between March 2019 and September 2020.

He also pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to offend by discussing sexual activity with underage person, and on January 21 last year he used a carriage service to prepare or plan to procure a person under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Earlier this year, a beastiality charge against his Cavoodle pet dog between December 2019 and November 2020 was dropped.

The reach of Operation Arkstone. Credit: AFP

He was sentenced to four years and six months, with a non-parole period of two years and six months, at Sydney’s Downing District Court on Friday.

He’ll be eligible for release in May 2023.

The nationwide operation was launched in February last year after investigators from the AFP arrested a 30-year-old Central Coast man for child abuse offences.

A digital trail from that arrest then identified 55 Australian child victims, who have been removed from harm. Twenty-one Australian alleged offenders have been charged with 1301 offences.

Detective Senior Constable Joanna Kolodziej said the AFP worked tirelessly to prevent child exploitation and abuse.

“We will continue to do everything in our power to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice,” Detective Senior Constable Kolodziej said.

“No child should ever be subjected to the horrific acts depicted in child abuse material and we are determined to follow every lead to identify child sex offenders and save as many children as possible from further harm.”