A man is set to appear in court facing charges related to child exploitation and grooming. Allegedly, he tried to persuade a mother to grant him access to her two daughters, aged 12 and 16, for sexual purposes.
Upon his return from a trip abroad in 2024, the 46-year-old individual was stopped by police as he disembarked from a flight that had arrived from Manila, Philippines. Australian Federal Police (AFP) apprehended him based on extensive phone data analysis, which revealed his communication with a woman in the Philippines via a messaging app. It is claimed that he attempted to convince the mother to allow him access to her young daughters.
The AFP also accuses the man of grooming the mother to facilitate sexual activities with her underage daughters. Furthermore, he allegedly demanded child abuse material from the woman, who refused to comply by sending images.
The man, unnamed due to Australian reporting restrictions on cases involving child exploitation, was arrested at his residence in Blackwater, situated 375 miles north of Brisbane. The AFP’s Northern Command Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (NC JACET) conducted a search that led to his arrest. He faces charges of grooming and soliciting child abuse material, each carrying a maximum prison term of 15 years if convicted.
According to AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer, the AFP is dedicated to combating criminal activities and protecting children globally. He emphasized the importance of targeting individuals engaged in unlawful conduct with minors, regardless of their location, with the assistance of domestic and international partners.
Collaborating with the Australian Border Force (ABF), the AFP launched an investigation into the individual from Blackwater involved in child exploitation crimes. ABF superintendent John Ikin stressed their commitment to pursuing predators who exploit society’s most vulnerable members.
Despite being granted bail, the 46-year-old from Blackwater will appear in court today as per a decision by a Queensland watchhouse Officer-in-Charge.