A man from Chittaway Point has been jailed for covertly filming children with a hidden camera.
He also shared child abuse material which he downloaded and received.
The 42-year-old was sentenced to a maximum of nine years and 10 months imprisonment for producing, possessing and sharing child abuse material.
An investigation codenamed Operation Tick began in September 2021 when the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, which is led by Australian Federal Police, received a report from the United States National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about the upload of child abuse material by a Kik user.
The AFP linked the Chittaway Point man to the Kik account, with further investigation revealing the covert filming.
The man was arrested at his home on March 16, 2022, and charged with multiple child abuse related offences.
He pleaded guilty to nine child abuse related offences in Gosford District Court on February 9, 2023 and faced the same Court for sentencing on May 10.
The man will be eligible for release on February 15, 2029.
Detective Inspector Jeremy Staunton said the AFP investigators were relentless in their pursuit of anyone sharing or accessing child exploitation and sexual abuse material.
He said strong international partnerships were imperative to identifying offenders sharing child abuse material online.
“The prevalence of online child abuse is vast and it requires a global response,” Det Insp Staunton said.
“The AFP works closely with its international law enforcement partners to identify child predators and protect children from further harm.”
The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focussed on creating a safer online environment.
Anyone who has information about people involved in child abuse is urged to contact the ACCCE at www.accce.gov.au/report
If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
The AFP is also urging the public to help it solve cold case child abuse investigations through its Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object initiative.
The smallest clue can often help solve a case and this initiative is centred on publishing non-confrontational images that can be seen in child exploitation online material such as pieces of clothing or bedding.
Australian investigators believe the images are linked to victims in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, and are calling on the community to view the images and make a report at www.accce.gov.au/trace
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available at www.accce.gov.au/support
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed that only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at www.thinkuknow.or.au, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
Sue Murray