Bendigo man Christian Lock charged with producing and possessing child abuse material

Police are reopening the investigation into an Ascot man accused of filming kids to produce child abuse material.

Bendigo man Christian Lock charged with possessing and producing child abuse material.

Police have indicated they will reopen the investigation into a man accused of filming kids to produce child abuse material as his lawyers attempt to have the allegations thrown out of court.

Christian Lock, 49, of Ascot, faced Bendigo Magistrates’ Court this week charged with producing and possessing child abuse material.

Mr Lock, through his lawyer, had offered to plead guilty to possession of child abuse material if police dropped the charges of producing child abuse material, the court heard.

Bendigo man Christian Lock charged with possessing and producing child abuse material.

However, police indicated they would pursue the charge of producing child abuse material, indicating sex crime detectives would reopen the investigation to gather more evidence to support the charges.

The defence raised concerns over police’s ability to prove the charge with the evidence before the court following the withdrawal of a charge of grooming.

The court heard police were still waiting on a Melbourne-based E-crime expert to analyse content they allege was the production of child abuse material by Mr Lock.

Police also intend to reinterview two young child complainants about the alleged production of child abuse material, the court heard.

The defence told the court Mr Lock had been charged about 18 months ago, and questioned the reliability of witness testimony gathered at such a late stage in proceedings.

The defence raised concerns police had charged Mr Lock without evidence to support the allegations — which police denied.

Mr Lock’s lawyer is also arguing the alleged child abuse material seized by police fell under a less serious categorisation than what police allege.

Mr Lock remains on bail as the case was adjourned to February next year as police continue to build their case.