Andrew Frangou: Designer in court over child sex charges

A highly respected employee of an award winning architect studio — and part-time muso — has landed in court over child abuse material allegations.

Andrew Frangou has fronted court accused of accessing and possessing child abuse material. Picture: Supplied

A highly respected employee of an award-winning Melbourne architect studio has been charged with child sex offences.

Andrew Frangou, 60, fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with accessing and possessing child abuse material.

The Williamstown man, who works as a building information modelling manager for award-winning architecture and interior design practice, appeared via video link for the brief filing hearing in front of Magistrate Johanna Metcalf.

The explosive allegations come after federal police raided Frangou’s Williamstown property on May 19.

“An investigation started after AFP allegedly identified an online user in Victoria during a separate investigation into an alleged online offender in the Northern Territory,” a spokesman said in an online statement on Friday morning.

“The AFP also received reports from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the online sharing platform Kik allegedly identifying the same accounts as uploading child abuse material.

“Investigators allegedly linked the Melbourne man to the accounts.”

The spokesman said Victoria’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team seized a computer, mobile phone and external hard drive during the raid.

“Police will allege they found several images of child abuse material on the digital devices, which will be subject to further forensic examination,” the spokesman said.

Frangou, who is on bail, will return for committal mention on August 27.