Police allege children bound with duct tape with gun pointed at them

A detective of 26 years has described the “disturbing” image of two young boys allegedly on a man’s phone as something he had never seen before in his lengthy career.

A search warrant for unlawful use of a motor vehicle and drug offences turned into something more sinister when police confiscated a 44-year-old man’s phone.

Capricornia District Detective Inspector Luke Peachey revealed in his 26 years of policing he had never seen anything like it.

Police allege the man had a photo on his phone of a three-year-old and four-year-old boy who were duct taped and he was pointing a handgun at the head of one of the children.

Detective Inspector Peachey said it was “very concerning given that firearm was actually an operable firearm and could be fired”.

Police are confiscated the weapon from the man and he was charged with several offences and they are investigating whether it was loaded at the time the photo was taken.

A man has been charged with two counts of alleged deprivation of liberty. Picture: Qld Police

“The fact that those children were three years and four years of age were bound with duct tape, whether it was in jest or whether it was threatening doesn’t matter, that’s concerning behaviour and we’ve taken it very seriously,” he said.

Police have further alleged the image had been forwarded on to several other people after being taken.

They are investigating whether it was sent as a threat but Detective Inspector Peachey said they did not believe it was used as blackmail.

Whether the people received them and did not report it to police committed an offence is being investigated by police.

He said police checked on the safety of the children, who are not related but know one another, and they were “in good spirits”.

The man was granted strict bail conditions and is expected to face court next month. Picture: QLD police

The man is unrelated but known to the mothers and children and police are investigating their exact relationship.

“We made a determination, obviously working with child safety, in regards to the welfare of those children and left them in the care of their mothers at the moment,” Detective Inspector Peachey.

“What I do want to highlight is that (the alleged) offender has got no access to those children.”

No one else is accused of any wrongdoing.

The man has been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of category H firearms, dangerous conduct with weapon and two counts of deprivation of liberty following the May 26 warrant.

He is on strict bail conditions, including a curfew and reporting to police, and he is expected to appear in the Emerald Magistrates Court on August 26.

In a separate unrelated incident, detectives arrested and charged a 59-year-old man on Friday, July 18 with allegedly supply of dangerous drugs and sexual offences against a child following concerns raised by concerned community members.

He was arrested at a property in Emerald after extensive investigations into illegal firearms and illicit drugs. Picture: Qld Police

Police allege that between June and July 2025 the man provided dangerous drugs to a child and committed sexual offences against the same child.

The man has been charged with the grooming of a child under 16 years, rape, supplying dangerous drugs to a minor and breach of bail.

He has been remanded in custody to appear in Emerald Magistrates Court on Tuesday, July 22.

Officer in Charge of Emerald CIB Detective Sergeant Dylan Brook thanked the community members for coming forward to assist police and the alleged victims.

“I would like to thank the community members for having the courage to report the matters to the police and supporting the victim survivors,” Det Sgt Brook said.

“The Emerald police are committed to supporting victims of sexual abuse with compassion and work diligently and tirelessly to hold offenders accountable through the court system.”

Detective Inspector Peachey praised the Emerald CIB, which has four detectives in a town of 15,000, for their hard work.

Originally published as Police allege children bound with duct tape with gun pointed at them