A 61 year old casual school teacher arrested yesterday at Rosemeadow on charges of grooming a child online has been refused bail to appear in Campbelltown Local Court later today.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking to a 14-year-old girl and engaged in conversations about sexually explicit acts he wished to perform on the child and sent sexually explicit material.
It will also be alleged that the man was using his mobile phone to engage in conversations while at work.
Shortly after the arrest yesterday, a search warrant was executed at a home at Woodbine, where detectives seized a laptop.
A mobile phone and other electronic devices were also seized.
The man was taken to Campbelltown Police Station and charged by Strike Force Trawler investigators.
He faces a number of offences, including online grooming for sex a person under the age of 16, two counts of sending indecent material and soliciting child abuse material.
On Monday, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from Sydney’s south west, which led to yesterday’s arrest at Rosemeadow.
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by the CEIU into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU; and police in NSW work closely with their law enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
The Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate matters against children and adults, including sexual assault, serious physical abuse, and extreme cases of neglect.
Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
