The man is taken into custody. Photo / Australian Federal Police
The man is taken into custody. Photo / Australian Federal Police
An Australian man has been arrested for sexually exploiting a young New Zealand girl after using social media to groom the child.
The 23-year-old Sydney man was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) after a tip-off from NZ Police.
He is due to appear before an Australian court today chargedwith using a carriage service to transmit indecent communication to a person aged under 16 and faces a maximum of seven years behind bars if convicted.
The AFP said the NSW Child Protection Operations (CPO) team launched an investigation after New Zealand Police reported suspicions that a man in Sydney had posed as a child to send sexually explicit messages to a young girl in NZ and had coerced her into sending photographs to him.
Police raided the man's Sydney home on June 3, recovering a computer and phone that police allege contains child abuse material, including records of sexualised online conversations with young girls.
Commander Kirsty Schofieldsaid the arrest highlights the AFP's close partnership with NZ Police.
"Australian and NZ Police stand together in protecting our young people from this abhorrent crime," Schofield said.
"It is disgusting that adults trawl online platforms to try to engage children in sexualised conversations or to send intimate images, and the distress and harm it causes children is irreparable.
"We work tirelessly with our partners to stamp out this behaviour and prosecute anyone who preys on children – whether that's online or through physical contact."
Schofield hopes the allegations would also remind families that cyber security is an important conversation to have.
"It is important that children feel comfortable talking to adults if they are worried about someone who has contacted them online and not share anything online that they would not tell anyone else about."
Sexual harm - do you need help?
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone contact Safe to Talk confidentially:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email support@safetotalk.nz
• For more info or to web chat visit www.safetotalk.nz
