Katherine man accused of accessing child abuse material on the dark web
A 20-year-old man accused of accessing child abuse material on the dark web is expected to face court today.
Police & Courts
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A 20-year-old Katherine man accused of accessing child abuse material on the dark web is expected to face Katherine Local Court today.
The man has been charged with two offences after both NT and Australian Federal Police raided his Katherine home yesterday.
The Northern Territory Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (NT JACET) allegedly found child abuse material stored on two mobile phones and a laptop computer that belonged to the man.
The tip-off that sparked the raid came from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in regards to a person transmitting child abuse material via social media.
Cops allege illegal online activity was transmitted from the Katherine property where the man lives.
Police will allege the 20-year-old had a number of virtual private network applications and browsers capable of connecting to the dark web on his electronic devices.
It will also be alleged he had been accessing child abuse material from dark web sites and transferring it to his mobile telephones.
A detailed forensic examination of the seized devices is ongoing.
NT JACET NT Police Detective Sergeant Paul Lawson said the incident was an example of the work police were undertaking to protect children.
“This is another example of a multi-agency investigation detecting those who try to conceal their identities online and we are dedicated to identifying those who believe they are safe on the dark web,” he said.
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AFP Detective Superintendent Paula Hudson said the online demand for child abuse material fuelled the physical harm of children.
“Our members drove six hours for this rural warrant,” she said.
“It does not matter where you are in Australia: a city, the outback, a regional town – our members will do what it takes to protect our children.
“Each image and video shows a child having their innocence stolen and anyone who accesses this horrific content is complicit in the abuse.”
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The man has been charged with:
- access child abuse material through a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
- possession or control of child abuse material accessed through a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
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