It is a joint media launch between the AFP, Queensland Police Service and New South Wales Police Drive.
Editor’s be aware: An audio recording of the press convention held on 1 August is offered by way of Hightail
An AFP investigation has led to a former childcare employee being charged with 1623 youngster abuse offences towards 91 youngsters – together with 136 counts of rape and 110 counts of sexual activity with a toddler beneath 10 – in Brisbane, Sydney and abroad between 2007 and 2022.
The Gold Coast man, 45, has been in custody in Queensland since August 2022 when the AFP arrested and charged him initially with two counts of constructing youngster exploitation materials and one rely of utilizing a carriage service for youngster pornography materials.
The case is scheduled for a point out in Brisbane Magistrates Courtroom on 21 August, 2023.
After the person was charged final 12 months, the AFP will allege additional self-produced youngster abuse materials was recognized on digital units allegedly owned by the person. The AFP launched Operation Tenterfield instantly after arresting the person on 21 August final 12 months.
Operation Tenterfield has partly focussed on figuring out the kids within the alleged youngster abuse materials recorded at childcare centres in Queensland (10) and NSW (one), and an early studying centre connected to a college abroad.
The AFP alleges the person recorded his offending on telephones and cameras whereas working in 10 childcare centres in Brisbane between 2007 to 2013, and 2018 to 2022; an abroad location in 2013 and 2014; and one centre in Sydney between 2014 and 2017. All the kids allegedly offended towards have been pre-pubescent ladies. The person labored at different childcare centres however the AFP is highly-confident the person didn’t allegedly offend at these centres.
The AFP can be highly-confident that each one 87 Australian youngsters who have been recorded within the alleged youngster abuse materials have been recognized. The AFP believes the person recorded all his alleged offending.
The mother and father of all of the Australian youngsters recorded within the alleged youngster abuse materials have been knowledgeable of the investigation. Among the people recognized within the alleged youngster abuse materials are actually aged over 18 years and have been knowledgeable. Help providers have been supplied and proceed to be offered.
The AFP is working with worldwide authorities to assist establish 4 youngsters recorded in alleged youngster abuse materials created abroad.
The AFP Queensland Joint Anti-Youngster Exploitation Workforce (JACET) and sufferer identification specialists from the AFP and Queensland Police Service (QPS) have been working tirelessly for the reason that man’s arrest final 12 months to establish all youngsters within the alleged youngster abuse materials.
In November, 2022, the AFP offered proof to NSW Police Drive (NSWPF) to allow an investigation for the alleged offending in NSW. NSWPF launched Strike Drive Boorong to analyze alleged offending in Sydney. With the help of the AFP, NSWPF notified households and people recognized beneath Operation Tenterfield.
Operation Tenterfield with the help of Strike Drive Boorong has undertaken detailed forensic investigations of greater than 4000 pictures and movies containing alleged youngster abuse materials, which was allegedly created by the person.
In July, 2023, the AFP laid additional costs towards the person (on high of the three authentic costs) for the alleged offending towards 64 youngsters in Queensland and 4 youngsters abroad.
These costs embrace:
136 counts of rape opposite to part 349 of the Prison Code 1899 (QLD), which carries a most penalty of life imprisonment;
604 counts of indecent therapy of a kid beneath 16 opposite to part 210 of the Prison Code 1899 (QLD), which carries a most penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment;
613 counts of constructing youngster exploitation materials, opposite to part 228B of the Prison Code 1899 (QLD), which carries a most penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment;
83 counts of possessing, controlling, producing, distributing or acquiring youngster pornography materials outdoors Australia, opposite to part 273.5 of the Prison Code (Cth), which carries a most penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment;
One rely of possessing, controlling, distributing or acquiring youngster pornography materials opposite to part 474.19 of the Prison Code (Cth), which carries a most penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment; and
Six counts of possessing youngster exploitation materials, opposite to part 228D of the Prison Code (QLD), which carries a most penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.
In June, 2023, NSWPF laid costs for alleged offending towards 23 youngsters in NSW. Prices embrace:
68 counts of sexual activity with a toddler beneath 10 opposite to part 66A(1) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), which carries a most penalty of life imprisonment;
42 counts of aggravated sexual activity with a toddler beneath 10 beneath authority opposite to part 66A(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), which carries a most penalty of life imprisonment;
69 counts of aggravated indecent assault opposite to part 61M(2) of Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), which carries a most penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment; and
One rely of manufacturing youngster abuse materials opposite to part 91H(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), which carries a most penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
NSWPF has issued a primary occasion warrant for the person’s future extradition.
Operation Tenterfield has been complicated and has concerned highly-skilled sufferer identification specialists. As much as 35 AFP members have been concerned within the investigation since August 2022.
The AFP thanks QPS and NSWPF for dedicating sources to the investigation.
The genesis of Operation Tenterfield is linked to QPS finding alleged youngster abuse pictures and movies on the darkish internet in 2014.
QPS posted them on a world sufferer identification database, in search of help from the worldwide victim-identification neighborhood.
The AFP and different companies examined the pictures however they contained few distinguishable clues for investigators to observe.
However in August, 2022, the AFP was in a position to hint objects recognized within the background of the alleged pictures and movies posted on the darkish internet between 2013 and 2014 to a Brisbane childcare centre.
Following inquiries with the childcare centre, the AFP executed a search warrant on 20 August, 2022, in Brisbane, and arrested the person in Brisbane’s southwestern suburbs. He was charged with making and distributing youngster abuse materials that was allegedly posted on the darkish internet.
Within the subsequent 48 hours, the AFP executed two additional search warrants together with on the man’s Gold Coast residence and seized digital units allegedly containing youngster abuse materials created by the person.
In September 2022, the AFP coordinated a joint-agency taskforce with QPS on the Australian Centre to Counter Youngster Exploitation (ACCCE) to assessment almost 4000 seized pictures and movies the person had allegedly created.
Sufferer identification specialists helped establish 91 youngsters who had allegedly been offended towards by the person.
The childcare centres is not going to be named to assist shield the identification of alleged victims.
AFP Northern Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough mentioned the AFP and different companies have been offering ongoing help to folks and kids.
“The AFP, working with help providers, has ensured mother and father and carers have obtained as a lot info as potential as this investigation continues,” Assistant Commissioner Gough mentioned.
“I can guarantee members of the Australian public that when you have not been contacted by regulation enforcement, this can be very unlikely your youngster was allegedly offended towards by the person.
“The AFP is highly-confident that each one the Australian youngsters who have been recorded within the alleged youngster abuse materials have been recognized.
“The AFP and our companions by no means gave up making an attempt to establish the alleged offender and the kids within the alleged abuse materials.
“Given there have been so many alleged pictures and movies of youngsters recorded over 15 years on the alleged offender’s units, the method of identification took time, talent and dedication.
“Whereas I’m extraordinarily pleased with regulation enforcements’ persistence and their unwavering dedication to establish this alleged offender, and cease additional abuse, that is chilling information.
“It’s with a heavy-heart that the AFP and different regulation enforcement dedicate a lot time and sources to stop and take motion towards people who commit heinous crimes towards youngsters.
“There may be not a lot solace I can provide mother and father and kids who’ve been recognized beneath Operation Tenterfield, however I can let you know that we by no means gave up, and we by no means will in the case of defending youngsters.
“It is a distressing time for households, carers and the neighborhood broadly.
“We all know such a information can re-traumatise survivors of sexual abuse, and, please, I urge these survivors to hunt help, or discuss to a trusted community, if in the present day’s information has brought about misery.”
Queensland Police Service Performing Assistant Commissioner Col Briggs mentioned this end result was the fruits of years of devoted and sophisticated investigation throughout jurisdictions.
“From the second Argos situated pictures of sufferer youngsters being shared on the darkish internet in 2014 an intensive examination was launched to establish the kids within the footage,” Performing Assistant Commissioner Briggs mentioned.
“The challenges posed by an investigation of this kind have been important and officers by no means gave up on figuring out this alleged offender, reminding themselves that every part you do on-line leaves a hint.
“Lately investigators engaged the help of a joint-agency Sufferer Identification Taskforce on the ACCCE, with a number of companies working collectively to make sure the victims and their households have been situated.
“These allegations are horrific and confronting, however I commend all investigators from every jurisdiction of their relentless efforts to make sure that our neighborhood is made safer on account of the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.
Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald from the NSWPF State Crime Command confirmed the person would even be dealing with youngster intercourse abuse associated costs in NSW.
“Right now we announce that the NSW Police Drive have issued a warrant for this man’s arrest in our residence state, the place he faces 180 youngster intercourse abuse costs towards 23 victims aged one to 5,” Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald mentioned.
“As soon as this man faces the AFP costs in Queensland, we can be in search of to extradite him to Sydney to face the complete power of the regulation in New South Wales.
“This is likely one of the most horrific circumstances of alleged youngster abuse our detectives have seen, and we are going to proceed to relentlessly pursue this matter on behalf of the 23 victims of NSW, who stay our primary precedence.
“Alongside our accomplice companies, we’re completely dedicated to prosecuting anybody who goes after our neighborhood’s most susceptible.”
The AFP urges anybody locally who must entry help to go to the ACCCE web site – www.accce.gov.au – for a full checklist of accessible help providers with contact particulars.
Members of the general public who’ve details about individuals concerned in youngster abuse and exploitation are urged to name Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report. If you understand abuse is occurring proper now or a toddler is in danger, name police instantly on 000.
Analysis carried out by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed solely about half of oldsters talked to their youngsters about on-line security.
If you happen to or somebody you understand are impacted by youngster sexual abuse and on-line exploitation there are help providers out there at www.accce.gov.au/help.
Recommendation and help for fogeys and carers about how they will help shield youngsters on-line could be discovered at www.thinkuknow.org.au, an AFP-led training program designed to stop on-line youngster sexual exploitation.
Observe to media:
Use of time period ‘CHILD ABUSE’ MATERIAL NOT ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’
The proper authorized time period is Youngster Abuse Materials – the transfer to this wording was amongst amendments to Commonwealth laws in 2019 to extra precisely mirror the gravity of the crimes and the hurt inflicted on victims.
Use of the phrase “youngster pornography” is inaccurate and advantages youngster intercourse abusers as a result of it:
signifies legitimacy and compliance on the a part of the sufferer and subsequently legality on the a part of the abuser; and
conjures pictures of youngsters posing in ‘provocative’ positions, quite than struggling horrific abuse.
Each {photograph} or video captures an precise state of affairs the place a toddler has been abused.
Media enquiries:
AFP Media: (02) 5126 9297
QPS Media: (07) 3015 2444
NSWPF Media: (02) 8263 6100
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