Stephen Ross Lane charged with 12 more offences over child abuse material

The alleged leader of a child sex ring busted in a Townsville suburb has been charged with more offences.

THE alleged leader of a child sex ring busted in a Townsville suburb has been charged with more offences.

Stephen Ross Lane, 62, was initially arrested and charged for his alleged lead role in operating a child abuse ring out of Kelso in July, where he allegedly abused young girls.

Police will allege three girls, aged between three years old and 15, were subjected to horrific abuse and used as sexual servants over the last two years.

Stephen Ross Lane taken to the Townsville Watchhouse. Picture: Evan Morgan

Two women, the mother of a six-year-old complainant, and an aunty to another two complainants, were allegedly a part of the ring, and willingly exchanged the girls, according to police.

Lane, who lives in Kelso, and the two women were charged with 32 combined offences, including servitude, extortion and child exploitation at the time of their arrest in July

Last week, Townsville Child Protection and Investigation Unit charged Lane with 12 further offences, which include eight charges of making child exploitation material using two of the local complainants.

He has also been charged with three Commonwealth offences, which include one count of encouraging sexual offence against a child outside of Australia, and using a carriage service to groom another person to make it easier to procure a child.

Police will allege these charges relate to Lane allegedly trying to groom an adult living in another country into making child abuse material and sending it to him.

It will be alleged Lane kept the material for himself.

Stephen Ross Lane taken to the Townsville Watchhouse. Picture: Evan Morgan

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles said the allegations were serious, and they had worked with multiple international agencies on the matter.

Police initially closed in on Lane after a three-month investigation, labelled Operation Tango Rosetta.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles speaks to media. - Photo: Cameron Laird

Police will allege Lane and his offsiders exchanged the girls, and then extorted people for money, amounting to $50,000 worth of transactions.

Lane and the 41-year-old mother remain in custody, while the 38-year-old aunty of two complainants is out on bail.

At the woman’s first court appearance, it was revealed she was living with her nieces at the time of the alleged abuse, and she would sneak around her family.

She allegedly exploited her nieces for cash and benefits from Lane.

Police will allege they went to great lengths to cover their tracks, deleting messages off each other’s phones and taking steps to remove photos.

Lane will face court again on October 8.

Originally published as Stephen Ross Lane charged with 12 more offences over child abuse material