This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Western Australia Police.
A 31-year-old Perth man is scheduled to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court today (9 August 2019) charged with child exploitation and drug offences.
In March 2019, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) received information from the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about an online user allegedly uploading child exploitation material.
The AFP commenced an investigation, identifying a 31-year-old Perth man as the alleged user of the online account.
On 24 July 2019, officers from the Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) executed a search warrant at a residence in the Perth suburb of Highgate.
Police seized a hard drive allegedly containing child exploitation material, several other devices for further examination, a small quantity of methamphetamine and two glass pipes.
The 31-year-old man was subsequently arrested and charged with:
- One count of possession of child exploitation material contrary to section 220 of the Criminal Code Act 1913 (WA). The maximum penalty for this offence is seven years imprisonment;
- One count of possession of methamphetamine contrary to section 6 (2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1981 (WA). The maximum penalty for this offence is two years imprisonment ; and
- One count of possession of drug paraphernalia contrary to section 7b (6) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1981 (WA). The maximum penalty for this offence is three years imprisonment.
The WA JACET is a joint AFP and Western Australia Police team which is dedicated to combatting the national and international online exploitation of children.
If you have any information relating to child abuse or exploitation, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Note to journalists: THIS IS CHILD EXPLOITATION, NOT ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’
Use of the phrase ‘child pornography’ actually benefits child sex abusers because:
- it indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
- it conjures up images of children posing in ‘provocative’ positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.
Every photograph captures an actual situation where a child has been abused. This is not pornography.
