Two men have been arrested and charged following separate investigations by the Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU), with assistance from Newcastle City and Lake Macquarie Local Area Commands.

In May of this year (2015), specialist detectives from the CEIU commenced an investigation into the online behaviour of a man who had allegedly been using social media applications to contact a teenage boy.

Using the assumed online identities of teenage boys, CEIU detectives commenced online conversations with the man.

Police will allege in court that during these conversations the man made a number of sexually explicit comments and requests. He also transmitted a number of pornographic images.

Yesterday (Friday 27 November 2015), CEIU detectives arrested a 30-year-old man at a home in Charlestown. A search warrant was also executed at the man’s house, with officers seizing a number of electronic items.

The man was taken to Belmont Police Station, where he was charged with using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years of age and using a carriage service for child pornography. He was refused bail to appear at Belmont Local Court today (Saturday 28 November 2015).

Yesterday’s arrest followed the arrest of a Mayfield West man on Thursday (26 November 2015).

In June (2015), CEIU detectives were contacted by local police in Port Stephens who were concerned about the online behaviour of a man who appeared to be from the Newcastle area.

Employing the assumed online identity of a young teenage girl, CEIU detectives engaged the man in online conversations.

Throughout the conversations, which took place over a number of months, the man allegedly made numerous inappropriate and sexually explicit comments and requests.

Following their inquiries, CEIU detectives arrested a 36-year-old man at a home in Mayfield West on Thursday (26 November 2015).

A search warrant was executed at the property, and a number of electronic items were seized, before the man was taken to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with:

– Using a carriage service to procure persons under 16 years of age; and,

– Using a carriage service to transmit an indecent communication to person under 16 years of age.

Granted conditional bail, he is scheduled to appear before Newcastle Local Court on 17 December 2015.