Nsw Police Arrest Four Men As Part of Global Investigation into Online Child Exploitation

New South Wales Police Force
November 15, 2013

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_releases?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGMzM4ODEuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D

Two teachers, a priest and a former priest have been arrested by the NSW Police Force as part of a global investigation targeting the users of a Canadian-based child exploitation website.

More than 300 suspects have been arrested worldwide during the Toronto Police Service-led investigation, including 65 people in Australia.

Meanwhile, 386 children have been removed from harm worldwide, including six in Australia.

The three-year investigation was announced last night by Canadian authorities who have referred the details of numerous Australian-based users of the child exploitation website to policing jurisdictions in Australia.

Under what is known as Operation Thunderer, the Australian Federal Police and state and territory police have arrested 65 people who have been charged with 399 offences.

That includes four men arrested by the NSW Police Force Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit:

• A 42-year-old school teacher arrested at Cowra on Wednesday 24 July 2013 and charged with possess child abuse material and using a carriage service to access child pornography;

• A 57-year-old Catholic priest arrested at The Rocks on Monday 29 July 2013 and charged with using a carriage service to access child pornography;

• A 42-year-old school teacher arrested at Emu Plains on Wednesday 7 August 2013 and charged with possess child abuse material and using a carriage service to access child pornography; and

• A 72-year-old retired Catholic priest arrested at Lake Haven on Tuesday 20 August 2013 and charged with possessing child abuse material and using a carriage service to access child pornography.

The four men remain before the court.

Commander of the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad, Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, said the Sex Crimes Squad would continue to work closely with its counterparts both here in Australia and overseas to target those people involved in the sexual exploitation of children.

“The internet has created new opportunities for sex offenders to target and sexually exploit children and we will continue to prioritise the identification of these people so they can be put before the courts,” Det Supt Kerlatec said.

“Behind every child abuse image there is a real victim who has been sexually exploited and abused, and we need to do everything we can to remove these children from harm and arrest those involved in that exploitation.”

Operation Thunderer investigations are ongoing.