Police charge man, 35, for allegedly grooming and meeting 15-year-old girl for sex

A MAN allegedly posed as a 17-year-old before telling the girl, 15, he was 27 and then meeting her for sex. He’s 35.

A man has been charged for allegedly grooming and having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

A TEENAGE girl has allegedly been groomed online to meet a 35-year-old man for sex.

The man has been charged with nine counts of sexual intercourse with a person aged 14-16 after detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad started an investigation last week.

Police received reports a 15-year-old girl had been sexually and indecently assaulted by a man she met online last month.

They will allege in court that the pair met on a social media application designed for teenagers, where the man purported to be 17.

Detectives said the pair chatted online before arranging to meet in person.

They said the man later told the girl he was 27, and the pair met in the Newcastle area on September 29 and allegedly had sex.

The incident was reported to local police last week before being referred to the child abuse squad for further investigation.

Following inquiries, detectives arrested a 35-year-old man at a unit at Valentine about 7am on Monday.

Shortly after the arrest, investigators executed a search warrant at the unit, before executing a crime scene warrant at a home at Whitebridge.

During the searches, police seized a number of items relevant to the investigation.

The man was taken to Belmont Police Station. He has also been charged with two counts of indecent assault-person under 16, groom child for unlawful sexual activity, meet with child groomed for sexual activity, and use carriage service to plan for sex-person under 16.

He was refused bail and appeared at Toronto Local Court on Monday where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on October 30.

Police are urging parents and carers to speak with their children about staying safe online.