Detectives from the Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit have charged a Maitland man with a child pornography offence.
Police were conducting online operations while using the assumed identity of a woman with an 11-year-old daughter when they were contacted by a man.
It will be alleged the man took part in a number of conversations in which he discussed sexual activity with the 11-year-old child.
About 11.30am today (Thursday 13 August 2015), detectives arrested a 27-year-old man at a licensed premises in Maitland. A search warrant was executed upon accommodation at the hotel.
The local man was taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged with using a carriage service for child pornography material.
He has been granted conditional bail to appear at Maitland Local Court on 7 September 2015.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the Child Exploitation Internet Unit, and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://www1.police.nsw.gov.au/.
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Meanwhile, police are again urging parents and children to be mindful of the dangers associated with the internet.
Safe internet use – tips for parents:
• Be aware of how much time your child spends on the internet.
• Spend time talking to your child about the dangers associated with online conversations.
• Spend time exploring the internet with your children and let them teach you about their favourite websites.
• Keep the computer in a room the whole family can access; not in your child’s bedroom.
• Consider installing filtering and/or computer blocking software provided by your internet service provider. The Netalert web page provides information on a number of commercially-available products at www.netalert.net.au.
• Ensure you are able to access your child’s email and randomly check the contents.
• Check your phone bill for unusual outgoing calls, or consider using a ‘caller ID’ device to identify incoming calls.
• Consult your telephone company for options designed to ensure privacy and security.
• Enquire with your child’s school, public library, and places they frequent, to find out what internet safety measures they have in place.
• Information on internet safety is available on the NSW Police website at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/community_issues/children/child_exploitation
Tips for children:
• Do not send a picture of yourself to anyone you don’t know and never place a full profile and picture anywhere on the internet.
• Never give out your personal information, including name, home address, phone number or school, over the internet.
• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you have chatted with on the internet.
• Tell your parents or another adult you know of any contact that makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Remember that pressing ‘send’ is definite and final – you can’t get it back or take it down.