A man will face court today after being charged by Strike Force Trawler detectives over the alleged online grooming of a child for sex.
In June 2018, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from the Wollongong region.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl and engaged in conversations about sexual acts he wished to perform on the child.
The man also discussed meeting with the child for sex.
Following extensive inquiries, a 52-year-old man was arrested by strike force detectives at a unit complex in Wollongong today (Wednesday 23 January 2019).
Investigators executed a search warrant at the unit and seized laptops, mobile phones and USB devices, which will undergo forensic analysis.
The man was taken to Wollongong Police Station and charged with using a carriage service to groom person under 16 years for sexual activity.
He was refused bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court later today.
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by the CEIU into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU; and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: .
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
