A Sydney man was sentenced to an additional four years’ imprisonment, after pleading guilty to an additional charge of sexual intercourse with a young child, after previously being convicted of multiple child abuse offences.
The additional charge arises as a result of an international investigation by the AFP and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU), which led to the rescue of a child victim in New South Wales in 2019.
The man, was sentenced in the Penrith District Court on 13 December, 2023, after pleading guilty to sexual intercourse with a child under 10 years’ old.
The AFP submitted a fresh charge, for the consideration of the ODPP, after the man was first sentenced in January 2021, to eight years imprisonment for multiple child abuse offences.
The investigation, codenamed Operation BINDERA, which began in June 2019, after the AFP received a report from the YHROCU, relating to an Australian man using multiple social media platforms to engage with covert online operatives.
The AFP were able to identify the man and executed a search warrant at his Sydney home in July, 2019, where police located and seized over 50TB of data stored across multiple electronic devices.
Police identified thousands of child abuse images and videos on the devices including 18 new series of CAM, and over 100 previously known CAM files.
The man was subsequently arrested and charged.
Police removed the child from the harmful situation and placed them into the care of family.
The Sydney man was previously sentenced in the Parramatta District Court in January 2021, to a total of eight years, with a non-parole period of five years’ imprisonment for the following offences:
- One count of possess child abuse material, contrary to section 91H(2) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), with 2 charges placed in schedule;
- One count of use carriage service to transmit child pornography, contrary to section 474.19 Criminal Code (Cth);
- One count of produce child abuse material, contrary to section 91H(2) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW); and
- Five counts of aggravated indecent assault of person under 16 years, contrary to section 61M(2) Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), with 3 charges placed in schedule.
The man was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of two years and three months in relation to the latest charge.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Nicole Kenny said the AFP and YHROCU had shared intelligence and worked successfully together to stop a child sex offender from causing further harm to children.
“The child exploitation material seized in this investigation is among the most abhorrent we have seen,” Det Acting Supt Kenny said.
“The efforts of our AFP investigators, together with our international partners such as the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, have helped us remove a child from harm, whose ongoing welfare will remain a high priority.
“This is a reminder to all criminals – whether you have faced court or are currently serving time in prison. The AFP will ensure every offence is accounted for and no offence is too small especially when dealing with abhorrent crimes, like child sexual abuse.”
Detective Chief Inspector Al Burns of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) said:
“The worldwide nature of online communications means that our officers work with partner agencies and police forces across the globe to ensure the safety of the public.
“My team of officers are pleased that we have been able to remove a child from further sexual harm.
“This conviction demonstrates that there are no borders when it comes to safeguarding children from these harms.”
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE at . If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available at .
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at , an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
