WANGARATTA, VIC. — A Wangaratta man is expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court today for allegedly possessing and soliciting child abuse material from the Philippines via a messaging service.
Australian Border Force (ABF) members searched the man, 43, when he arrived at Melbourne International Airport on a flight from Croatia via Singapore on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
Officers allegedly located child abuse images on a mobile phone in his possession.
Southern Command JACET members executed a search warrant at the man’s Wangaratta home on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 and seized a hard drive and printed images depicting child abuse material.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET) members were notified and, on further examination of the phone, allegedly identified messages by the man requesting child abuse material from another user.
AFP Detective Sergeant Scott Amjah said anyone asking for child abuse material was committing a serious offence and enabling heinous acts upon children.
“Every online action is traceable, and the AFP works tirelessly to find those in possession of, or soliciting, this kind of material,” Det-Sgt Amjah said.
“If you possess, solicit, share or create child abuse, expect a knock on the door from us and to be put before the courts.”
The man was arrested and charged with one count of using a carriage service to possess child abuse material, contrary to s474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cwlth); and one count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, contrary to s474.22(1)(a)(iv) of the Criminal Code (Cwlth).
The maximum penalty for each offence is 15 years’ imprisonment.
He was released on strict conditional bail to appear before the court today.
The images and communications will be the subject of further forensic examination.
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 the 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.
For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what online child sexual exploitation is and how to report it visit the ACCCE website.
