Central Coast man sentenced to a decade in jail for producing child abuse material

An investigation started in December 2020 following a report by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) about an online user uploading videos of young girls to Snapchat and a cloud storage and file hosting service.

AFP investigators linked the man, 34, from Kanwal, Central Coast, to the illegal online activity.

In March 2021, AFP Eastern Command Child Protection investigators with support from specialists in imagery and geomatics and digital forensics, executed search warrants at the man's home, where officers seized an electronic device and charged him with child-abuse related offences.

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The man pleaded guilty at the Gosford Local Court on February 9, 2022, to 12 child abuse-related offences:

They included three counts of producing child abuse material with the intention of committing an offence, five counts of using a carriage service to make available child abuse material, one count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material and two counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material.

He also plead guilty to one count of failing to comply with reporting obligations.

On Friday, December 9, the Downing District Court sentenced him to 10 year's imprisonment, with a non-parole period of five years.

AFP detective leading senior constable Amanda Thompson said the collaboration between the AFP and its international partners was crucial to identifying child sex offenders and stopping them from harming more children.

"We encourage parents and carers to report suspicious or inappropriate behaviour towards children to the ACCCE. No information is too small or insignificant; what you provide can help keep children safe from predators," she said.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on Triple-0.

Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.

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