NSW Police arrest Coffs Harbour man for alleged sextortion of teen girl

The man allegedly groomed a 15-year-old girl in a brutal alleged case of violent sextortion.

An alleged pedophile and groomer has been caught for allegedly threatening a teen girl to perform violent and sexual acts.

Sex Crimes Squad detectives with the NSW Police arrested the 28-year-old man at Safety Beach, about 30km north of Coffs Harbour in the state’s Mid North Coast region, on Wednesday following an investigation that started in August.

“It is alleged the man had been grooming a 15-year-old girl he had met online and was threatening her to send videos of herself carrying out various compromising acts such as self-harming and performing sexual acts,” police said on Thursday morning.

“During a search of the property, police located and seized various electronic devices which will undergo further forensic examination.”

Detectives arrest the man at Safety Beach near Coffs Harbour. Picture: Supplied

NSW police say the Queensland Police Service referred the man to them.

He was taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station and charged with using a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a child, to do or plan harm to person under 16 years, to groom under 16 years for sex, to threaten to kill, to threaten serious harm, to send indecent material to a person under 16 years and to cause a child to perform sexual activity.

He was refused bail and appeared at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday.

NSW Sex Crimes Squad commander detective superintendent Jayne Doherty said the police were recording a rise in sadistic sextortion cases.

The police have charged the man with several child sex abuse offences. Picture: Supplied

“Sadistic sextortion is unlike typical cases of sextortion because the offender is not doing it for financial gain, rather victims are being coerced into producing extreme sexual and violent content,” he said.

“We want children to know there is always someone who will listen and there are things we can do to get you out of any situation, no matter how frightening it is or what the offender is telling you.

“I hope this incident also acts an alert to parents who may be aware that their children engaging in self-harm that there may be deeper reasons for this that need to be explored with them in a supportive manner.”

Originally published as NSW Police arrest Coffs Harbour man for alleged sextortion of teen girl