Hawkesbury River Arrest in Child Sex Offences Case

In a significant breakthrough following an investigation by the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad, a 51-year-old man has been apprehended and charged with alleged child sex offenses after being arrested near the Hawkesbury River this morning.

The arrest comes after an inquiry into the alleged dissemination of child abuse material during live video conferences, carried out under Strike Force Packer.

Detectives from the Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) initiated the investigation back in March 2023. Today, at approximately 7:30 am, strike force detectives, with assistance from the Marine Area Command, executed a search warrant at Milsons Passage along the Hawkesbury River.

During the search, law enforcement officers discovered and seized electronic devices and items directly related to their ongoing investigation. The 51-year-old suspect was apprehended at the scene and transported to the Hornsby Police Station.

He was charged with a number of offences, including the use of a carriage service to transmit, publish, or promote child abuse material, possession of child abuse material, and two counts of using a carriage service to access child abuse material. The man was denied bail, and later  appeared before Hornsby Local Court.

Police alleged in court that the man participated in a video teleconference distributing child abuse material.

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.