Overview
- Australian Border Force officers discovered child abuse material on the man’s phone during a New Year’s Day baggage check at Darwin Airport, triggering a referral to the Northern Territory Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team.
- On January 3, he was arrested at Dinah Beach car park after living between a yacht and a vehicle, with forensic analysis revealing explicit images and live video calls instructing abuse.
- In April, information passed to Australian Federal Police in Manila prompted a Philippine National Police operation that rescued six children and arrested two local suspects.
- The 68-year-old faces two counts of sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia, two counts of sexual activity with a child outside Australia, and one count of possessing child abuse material.
- If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 95 years in prison, underscoring intensified international cooperation against online child sexual exploitation.