A Port Stephens man has been sentenced to a maximum of five years in jail over a number of child abuse material offences.
The 28-year-old came onto the Australian Federal Police’s radar following a tip off from the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, about a user uploading the material to several online platforms.
That activity was then linked to the then 26-year-old, before a search warrant was executed at his home in August last year, where a mobile phone and a laptop, which contained child abuse material, were seized.
He appeared before Newcastle District Court yesterday, where he was handed a five year term, with a non-parole period of three years.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Stuart Millen says the sharing of child abuse material is not a victimless crime.
“The charges demonstrated the AFP’s commitment to investigate and charge offenders believed to be involved in child exploitation and sexual abuse,” Det A/Supt Millen added.
“Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators, and our investigators will continue to be relentless in their pursuit of anyone sharing or accessing child abuse material.
“Anyone who views this material is committing a crime,” Det A/Supt Millen said.