Muswellbrook: Colin Ryan charged with 21 child abuse offences
An interim non-publication order has now been overturned to identify an Upper Hunter man who is facing 21 child abuse charges. He engaged in conversations about sex acts with who he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
Newcastle
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An Upper Hunter man accused of 21 child abuse offences — who had his identity suppressed — can now be named.
The Newcastle News was able to overturn an interim non-publication order in court on Friday.
Colin Ryan, 34, was charged with use carriage service to groom under 16 years for sex, 19 counts of use carriage service transmit/publish/promote child abuse and possess child abuse material.
It followed an investigation by Strike Force Trawler detectives into alleged online child exploitation in the Hunter Region.
In September last year, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with Mr Ryan.
Police allege he believed he was speaking with the 37-year-old mother of a girl, 9, and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts he wished to perform on the child.
Police allege he also believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl and engaged in conversations about sex acts he wished to perform on the teenager.
A court heard he made sexual comments to the daughter about sex, cunnilingus and fellatio and also made comments to the 14-year-old regarding anal, sex and fellatio.
Strike force detectives arrested the 34-year-old at a Muswellbrook address on April 30.
Police raided the home and seized a mobile phone and electronic storage devices.
Mr Ryan appeared via video link at Newcastle Local Court on May 1, where his solicitor made an application for bail.
That was refused, but a non-publication order to stop media from identifying Mr Ryan was granted, citing publication of his name would cause him and his family to be targets due to living in a small town.
An application by The Newcastle News on Friday to remove the non-publication was granted.
Mr Ryan’s matter has been adjourned until July.