Peter Denholm: Meander Valley Council team leader charged with possessing child abuse material

The Australian Federal Police has charged a team leader at a Tasmanian council with possessing child abuse material as part of a sting with the Tasmanian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team.

Meander Valley Council team leader Peter Anthony Denholm, 46, a former team leader at the City of Launceston also. Picture: Facebook

The Australian Federal Police has charged a team leader at a Tasmanian council with possessing child abuse material as part of a sting with its state police counterparts.

St Leonards man Peter Anthony Denholm, 46, appeared in Launceston Magistrates Court last week charged with one count of possessing child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

He was granted bail on his own undertaking and will return to court on August 8. He did not enter a plea to the charge.

Mr Denholm is currently employed with Meander Valley Council in Tasmania’s north as its Team Leader, Facilities.

He has had an 11-year career in local government in Tasmania and was previously the City of Launceston’s Team Leader Regulations Services and Deputy Municipal Co-ordinator.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he was also manager of the Northern Regional Emergency Coordination Centre.

It’s understood Mr Denholm worked was employed by the City of Launceston for approximately a decade.

An AFP spokeswoman provided a brief statement in response to Mercury questions.

“The AFP charged a Launceston man, 46, on July 12, 2023 following an investigation by the Tasmanian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET),” she said.

“As this matter is before the courts, it would not be appropriate to comment further.”

Mr Denholm was not the only Tasmanian in a position of responsibility to be charged as a result of the JACET operation.

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In an unrelated matter, a male worker in his thirties at an early learning centre in Tasmania’s north was last week charged with possessing child exploitation and bestiality material.

His employer, CatholicCare Tasmania, has suspended his employment and said he had passed all necessary pre-employment checks, the Mercury previously reported.

Tasmania’s JACET, a partnership between the AFP and Tasmania Police, was formed in late 2019.