Riverina man faces court for allegedly accessing child abuse material online

Detectives from Strike Force Trident arrested a man at a home in Wagga Wagga following an investigation into alleged access of child abuse material. Photo: NSW Police.

A 69-year-old man has been charged following an investigation by the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad into alleged access of child abuse material.

Police said detectives from the Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) commenced an investigation last month after a man allegedly utilised a peer-to-peer file-sharing application to access child abuse material online.

Following investigations, detectives from Strike Force Trident attended a home in Wagga Wagga, where they arrested a 69-year-old man about 7 am on Tuesday (8 August).

He was taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station and charged with using a carriage service to access child abuse material and was set to appear before Wagga Wagga Local Court today (9 August).

The Sex Crimes Squad comprises a number of investigative teams who lead investigations into adult sex offenders, including the Child Exploitation Internet Unit, Child Protection Register, and Extended Supervision Order teams.

Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by the CEIU into the sexual 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.

Strike Force Trident is another ongoing investigation by the CEIU, relating to persons using peer-to-peer technology and applications to disseminate and exchange child abuse material online.

Anyone with information about the dissemination of child abuse material online is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Crime Stoppers online. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.