A BAROSSA man has faced court over child abuse material offences following a joint investigation by South Australia Police and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
On Thursday, South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation (SA JACET) investigators arrested the 42-year-old Barossa man after executing a search warrant at his home.
He was charged with possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, using a carriage service to access child abuse material and aggravated indecent filming.
Police will allege they found child abuse material stored on electronic devices inside the man’s home, as well as allegedly finding video footage of children which included close-up shots up their skirts or shorts.
It will be alleged the 42-year-old spied on the children and covertly filmed the videos.
He appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Friday and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
AFP Central Command acting commander Gail McClure said children should be able to play safely outdoors without “someone lurking in the shadows to hurt them or steal their innocence”.
“The growing community appetite for child exploitation material is horrifying; children are being harmed and exploited to satisfy the depraved sexual impulses of some adults," she said.
“AFP and South Australia Police continue to work tirelessly to keep children safe and unmask anyone who tries to harm or exploit them."
Police launched their investigation after the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received a report about a South Australian resident suspected of accessing child abuse material online.
SA JACET allegedly identified the 42-year-old as the person who obtained the “abhorrent” content.
The ACCCE is at the centre of a national collaborative approach to stop child exploitation and combat organised child abuse.
The centre brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into child sexual abuse and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Police have urged anyone who may have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation to call Crime Stoppers.
