NSW police target online child abuse, 19 arrested
Police have raided homes across NSW, charging 19 people with using the internet to allegedly groom kids and access child abuse material.
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NSW Police have arrested 19 people across the state in a blitz targeting child abuse material and child grooming.
The week-long blitz started with a search warrant at a home in Hillvue where police found electronic devices allegedly containing a large amount of child abuse material.
A 20-year-old man was taken to Tamworth Police Station and charged with one count of possessing child abuse material.
He was granted conditional bail and will face Tamworth Local Court on Monday September 18.
On Tuesday morning police searched a home in Dural where they spoke to another 20-year-old man.
During the search police found devices allegedly containing child abuse material, a laser pointer and a gel blaster, which is illegal in NSW.
He was taken to Ryde Police Station and hit with five offences including possessing child abuse material and a prohibited weapon without a permit.
He was granted bail and will face Burwood Local Court on Monday October 9.
The week continued with an investigation which started earlier this month by the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) culminating in a search warrant at a Rouse Hill home on Wednesday morning.
Police were investigating the access of alleged child abuse material online.
A 51-year-old man was arrested and charged with using a carriage service to access child abuse material, and a number of devices were seized for further investigation.
He was refused bail and will appear at Penrith Local Court on Friday November 3.
As part of the ‘Week of Action’ police spoke to a 37-year-old man at a home in Marsfield on Thursday, and in a search warrant uncovered devices which allegedly contained child abuse material along with 18 prohibited firearms.
The man was arrested and charged with 23 offences including possessing an unauthorised pistol, possess child abuse material and a slew of other weapons offences.
The Thursday raids continued with a search warrant in a Homebush unit, where police allegedly found a large amount of child abuse material.
A 26-year-old man was arrested and taken to Auburn Police Station where he was charged with one count of possess child abuse material.
He was refused bail and will appear at Burwood Local Court Tuesday September 12.
And finally on Thursday police arrested a 36-year-old man at a business in Queanbeyan.
A search at a nearby home found a number of electronic devices, firearms and ammunition.
The man was charged with possess child abuse material and granted bail to appear at Queanbeyan Local Court Tuesday October 3.
“There are multiple arrests every day in NSW for alleged offences whereby children are at the centre of the matter. This is a topic we cannot just stay silent over – the safety and protection of children of this state should be at the front of everyone’s minds,” Sex Crimes Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty APM said.
“Conversations online can quickly turn into a scary and dangerous place, so parents need to be aware of the forums and applications their children are using.”
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