Timothy George Kemp: Maitland man charged with online grooming of girl, 13
A 36-year-old Maitland man started chatting with detectives, allegedly believing he was speaking to a teenage girl. Police allege he shared sexually explicit material and engaged in conversations about sex acts he wished to perform on her
Newcastle
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A Maitland man charged with attempting to meet a 13-year-old girl he thought he had sexually groomed online has been granted bail.
Timothy George Kemp, 36, started chatting with detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU), allegedly believing he was speaking to a teenage girl.
Police allege he shared sexually explicit material and engaged in conversations about sex acts he wished to perform on her.
Strike Force Trawler detectives swooped on Kemp at the Waratah railway station on Tuesday morning.
Police allege he had arranged to meet the girl in person.
Following the arrest, police conducted a search warrant on the man’s home address, allegedly seizing mobile phones, tablets, a laptop and a hard drive.
He was charged with using a carriage service to procure person under 16 years for sexual activity.
In Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday Kemp’s solicitor Matthew Unwin made a release application saying his client was intellectually challenged and would be vulnerable in custody.
Mr Unwin told the court, Kemp’s mother confirmed he had a mental age of 10 as the result of being hit by a car.
An expert from the Justice Advocacy Service gave evidence to confirm Kemp had a brain injury due to a car accident, he also had a diagnosis of autism and exhibited intellectual difficulties.
Police prosecutor Maree Maynard opposed bail citing he was an unacceptable risk to community protection and there was a strong prosecution case against him.
She told the court at the time of Kemp’s arrest, he had a mobile phone, lubricant and a box of condoms with him.
Ms Maynard also mentioned he was on a community corrections order (CCO) at the time of the offence.
“These offences are difficult to police against and there could be no bail conditions implemented where he didn’t have access to a mobile or the internet,” she said.
Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said he felt granting bail was warranted due to Kemp’s cognitive and intellectual impairments, with strict conditions attached to his release.
His matter has been adjourned until July.