Online sex fiend jailed for 12 years after posing as a woman online to encourage teenage boys to commit vile sex acts
A depraved administrator who posed as a woman online to encourage teenage boys to commit vile sex acts has been jailed for 12 years.
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A depraved administrator who posed as a woman online to encourage teenage boys to commit vile sex acts has been jailed for 12 years.
The Australian Federal Police launched Operation Kenko after it became aware of the disgusting activities of Hayden Elstob, 25, from Somerville.
Investigators discovered he was using multiple female personas to encourage and coerce children to sexually abuse other children and to produce and transmit child exploitation pictures and videos online between 2014 and 2018.
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He used a range of social media platforms, including Facebook, to communicate with the youngsters, some of whom were charged with child porn offences themselves before police became aware of Elstob’s actions.
“This result is a testament to the tireless work of Victorian investigators and the AFP victim identification team in bringing this case before the court,” Superintendent Jayne Crossling, co-ordinator of crime operations for the AFP in Melbourne, said.
“The fight against child exploitation is an ongoing one, but we are committed to this battle and making Australian families aware of the dangers online by predators posing as someone they are not.
“We continue to target and prosecute predators but we have to constantly adapt as technology evolves and offenders try to outpace us.
“As a result of some great work between state and foreign law enforcement agencies we also referred more than 60 matters for further investigation.
“Prosecutions are now underway in the United States of America, New Zealand, Victoria and New South Wales.”
Elstob was sentenced at the County Court of Victoria on Friday morning after being charged with 30 offences related to child pornography.
The court heard Elstob was a loner who had been bullied at school.
County Court Judge Gavan Meredith ordered Elstob to serve nine years behind bars before being eligible for parole.
“Your offending continued largely unabated for a period of four years,” Judge Meredith said.
“Your offending is serious, calculated, deceptive and manipulative.
“Aspects of the conduct which you encouraged in particular were particularly grave, corrupting, and depraved.”
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton welcomed the 12-year prison sentence handed down to Elstob.
“This heinous behaviour causes lifelong traumatic impacts on those young people and their families, and demonstrates why Australians cannot be complacent to the threat of online predators targeting and hurting our children,” Mr Dutton said.
“I want to congratulate the many officers involved in this investigation. The facts of this case are dreadful and would shock most Australian families.”