A 78-year-old man from the Melbourne suburb of Ringwood East has been sentenced to a six-year jail term after pleading guilty to 11 online child abuse charges on 17 October 2025.
The Victorian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET), which is made up of officers from the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police, began an investigation in June 2022 following a referral from the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) regarding an individual engaging in sexualised conversations with children on the darknet.
During the investigation, it was found that the man operated an invite-only darknet site that recruited young people, both from Australia and other countries, to “discuss sexual activity with children and share child abuse material”.
JACET executed several search warrants on properties in Ringwood East, Wantirna South and Healesville in July 2023, during which police seized four computers, a mobile phone, five digital storage devices, a combined 221 CDs and DVDs, 149 magazines and three books. Child abuse material was found on the items following a forensic examination.
AFP acting Commander Simone Butcher said anyone sexually abusing children online should be aware that their actions will “lead to significant prison time”.
“The AFP-led ACCCE and its partners remain committed to protecting children in Australia and overseas from sexual predators and will prosecute anyone involved in their harm,” a/Commander Butcher said.
“Use this example as a warning – if you are doing the wrong thing, we will come for you and put you before the courts, where you will face significant jail time.”
The man was charged with one count each of possession of child abuse material obtained using a carriage service, maintaining an electronic service used for child abuse material, using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, accessing child abuse material, grooming a person believed to be a child outside of Australia, procuring a person believed to be a child outside of Australia, procuring a person believed to be a child, grooming a person believed to be a child, grooming another person to engage in sexual activity with a child outside Australia, causing child abuse material to be transmitted, and transmitting child abuse material.
The man pleaded guilty to all charges.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.