A 20-year-old Indian national appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on 1 November 2024, facing serious charges relating to the alleged online access and transmission of child abuse material.
Detective Sergeant Heath Cockram from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) reiterated the agency’s commitment to combating child exploitation alongside local and global partners.
“Accessing or sharing child abuse material is not a victimless crime; it fuels the demand for the physical exploitation and abuse of children.”
The Western Australia Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) identified the suspect following a report from the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which flagged an account allegedly used to upload child abuse material.
On 24 October 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at the man’s Thornlie residence, reportedly uncovering child abuse material on electronic devices. These devices are now undergoing further forensic analysis.
The man has been charged with three offences under the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth):
- One count of using a carriage service to access child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(i).
- Two counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22(1)(a)(iii).
Each offence carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
WA JACET, which is comprised of officers from the AFP and Western Australia Police Force, continues to work on child protection efforts in Western Australia.
