Police arrest 69-year-old Alice Springs man over alleged child exploitation offences

Police in the Red Centre capital have arrested a 69-year-old man after a search allegedly found child abuse material in his home. Read the latest.

Northern Territory Police. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

July 5, 12pm: Two encrypted micro-SD cards – which allegedly contained child abuse material – have led to 69-year-olds arrest in the Red Centre, Northern Territory police say.

Police said the micro SD cards were found when a search warrant was executed by the Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team at a residence in Gillen, Alice Springs, on May 10.

However, it wasn’t until Thursday, July 4, the man was arrested – after analysis by the police digital forensic unit allegedly uncovered the child abuse material, police said.

Police said they charged the man with three counts of accessing child abuse material; two counts of possessing child abuse material; and one count of failure to comply with an order to provide information or assistance.

The man is currently remanded in custody, according to police, with a court date set for Monday, July 8.

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Cronin said there is no place for this sort of behaviour within the Alice Springs community.

“The Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team will continue to target anyone who supplies, distributes or consumes child abuse material,” he said.

Police urge members of the public who have any information about people allegedly involved with child exploitation to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Reports can also be made online at the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation via the ‘Report Abuse’ button at www.accce.gov.au/report.

Police investigating crashes in Larapinta and on Sadadeen Rd, say alcohol could be involved

July 5, 9am: Northern Territory police are investigating two crashes which occured in Alice Springs – with drivers and passengers from one crash allegedly fleeing the scene, while another was sent to hospital for treatment.

Acting Senior Sergeant Conan Robertson said the crashes occurred on Lyndavale Drive in Larapinta and on Sadadeen Road.

Mr Robertson said the Sadadeen Rd crash happened at 1.30pm and involved a 26-year-old male who was driving a Holden Captiva.

The male had just overtaken a vehicle, according to Mr Robertson, before he veered left off the southern side of the road, crashing over a light pole and rolling down an embankment on Sadadeen Rd.

A silver Holden Captiva came off of Sadadeen Road just after lunch on July 4, 2024.

“It is believed that he had overtaken another vehicle a short time before,” he said.

“It is suspected that speed is a contributing factor, he is unlicensed and he refused to have blood taken for alcohol and drug testing so there will be charges pending for the driver.”

The male was taken to hospital for his injuries, while the investigation into the crash is ongoing, Mr Robertson said.

Meanwhile, an hour before, police were at Lyndavale Drive in Larapinta responding to another crash – which is unrelated to the first.

Mr Robertson said police suspected alcohol was involved in the Lyndavale Drive crash, with the driver of the vehicle and two passengers fleeing the scene.

A single female was sent to Alice Springs hospital for treatment for minor injuries, Mr Robertson said.

Investigations into the Lyndavale drive crash are also ongoing, Mr Robertson said.

“With the tragic number of people who have lost their lives on Northern Territory roads already this year it is a timely reminder that mistakes on our roads are hurting people,” he said.

“If you are going to drink alcohol then have a plan to get home safely. Don’t risk the safety of everyone else.”

Lyndavale Drive car crash leaves homeowners with thousand dollar repairs; drivers allegedly flee the scene

July 4: One Red Centre homeowner is set to foot a damage bill in the thousands after a car crashed into his fence – narrowly missing his water main – with the driver and passengers allegedly still at large.

Larapinta resident Grant Ballantine, who lives on Lyndavale Drive, was inside his home at lunchtime when he heard an “almighty wallop and a crash” outside his home.

“There’s all sorts of noises and there’s dust floated across there (his front yard) so I slid out my front door, all I could see was a tree ... and a lot of smoke and dust,” he said.

He came outside to see a gold Holden Commodore crashed into his fence, knocking over a palm tree and pushing a rock right up to his water main.

The car crash on Lyndavale Drive, July 4, 2024. Picture: Gera Kazakov

“Absolutely lucky, another inch forward for that rock and it would have wiped out all my water,” he said.

Mr Ballantine said he saw a number of people exit the vehicle and leave the scene, and he came across one woman who “appeared to be slightly injured”.

“I've got the woman to stay there and called an ambulance for her and I guess that they’ve conveyed her away for treatment,” he said.

Mr Ballantine said the crash upended his day, as he was just about to leave to pick up his kids from the movie theatre.

“I couldn’t get out – I had to go across the road and borrow my neighbour’s car,” he said.

Northern Territory police were contacted for comment.

Police arrest man who allegedly knocks woman unconscious on Todd Street before fleeing

July 2: Northern TerritoryPolice say they’ve arrested a 28-year-old man after he allegedly knocked out a woman known to him in the centre of town on Territory Day.

The incident occurred at 6.30pm on Todd Street, Alice Springs, according to police, who said they responded to reports a 25-year-old female was being assaulted by the male.

Police said “the victim suffered injuries to her head and upper body during the assault, which left her unconscious” and she was sent to Alice Springs Hospital for treatment.

The man alleged to have committed the assault was arrested a short time later “without incident” by general duties officers, police said.

He was charged with recklessly endangering causing serious harm and contravention of a domestic violence order, police said.

Police said he has been remanded in custody and will appear in court at a later date, with the alleged incident still under investigation.

Police are urging anyone with information to get in contact on 131 444 or via their local police station, quoting reference NTP2400064180.

Support services are available for any experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, such as 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

Police say RBT busts learner driver three times over the limit on Parsons Street in Alice Springs

July 1, 3pm: A Red Centre random breath test has pinged a learner driver and their passenger three and four times over the blood alcohol limit, Northern Territory police say.

Police said they arrested the duo on Saturday night, after they allegedly recorded blood alcohol readings of 0.153 for the driver and 0.193 for the passenger.

Southern Road Policing Acting Senior Sergeant Conan Robertson said the 24-year-old male learner driver and the female 44-year-old front seat licensed passenger were allegedly heavily intoxicated.

“They haven’t just made a mistake; they have made a selfish choice to drive on our public streets putting others at risk,” he said.

“The licenced passenger for a learner driver is meant to be helping to educate them about safe driving and is legislatively taken to be a driver of the car and is subject to drink and drug driving laws.”

Mr Roberts said with 30 lives already lost on Territory roads it was imperative the community worked together to prioritise road safety.

Police said both were out on bail but will be back before the judge at Alice Springs Local Court in July and August.

The learner driver is due back July 3, while the passenger is due back August 7, according to police.

Police arrest 15-year-old over alleged indecent act on another child

July 1, 12pm: Northern Territory Southern Police Child Abuse Taskforce say they have arrested a 15-year-old boy in relation to an alleged indecent assault which took place in the Red Centre.

Police say they arrested the youth on Friday, “without incident” over reports a child aged between 12-16 was allegedly assaulted in the Arumbera region in Alice Springs on Thursday.

The incident is alleged to have happened just after 5.30pm on Thursday, with the child allegedly assaulted by a boy unknown to them, according to police.

The youth was charged with burglary and committing an indecent act on a child and has been remanded in custody to appear in court today, police said.

Police said anyone who knows of – or witnesses – a crime should contact them on 131 444, or to call triple-0 in an emergency situation.

Larapinta Trail: Solo hiker rescued near Standley Chasm

July 1, 7am: A 45-year-old woman has been rescued after becoming disorientated while hiking in the Red Centre over the weekend.

On Friday, the woman from interstate, started her four-day solo hike of the Larapinta Trail.

About 10am on Saturday, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra received a beacon signal from a location three kilometres outside the Standley Chasm.

Further inquiries led authorities to determine the beacon signal had been activated from the 45-year-old hiker’s EPIRB.

Due to the signal’s location being inaccessible by road, a helicopter was deployed to scan the area in which the woman was found perched on a ridge in a distressed state.

The woman, who was running low on water, was uninjured and extracted by authorities on Saturday afternoon.

It is understood the hiker’s GPS technology was not functioning correctly and “sending her in circles”, according to a police spokesman.

The spokesman said the woman had done the “right thing” by activating her beacon and stressed the importance of preparing safety equipment, including a beacon, hiking with others and packing adequate food and water.

Originally published as Police arrest 69-year-old Alice Springs man over alleged child exploitation offences