Aussies paying for child abuse game: cops

The Geelong man was arrested after his home was raided by police on August 2.

Police will allege the 31-year-old man was the creator and operator of the game, which was allegedly accessed by a number of people across Australia and internationally.

Police allege those users had paid subscriptions to the game and their identities are currently being investigated.

The joint investigation was launched in May after information about an online child exploitation game was uncovered by the Australian Border Force and provided to police.

The platform is allegedly entirely comprised of animated child exploitation images, which is an offence in Australia.

The man was subsequently charged by Victoria Police detectives with the Commonwealth offences of controlling, producing and possessing child abuse material, as well as deal with proceeds of crime.

“This is a landmark investigation and one that really highlights the insidious nature of child exploitation and the many forms it can take,” Victoria Police Commander Paul O’Halloran said.

“For someone to create this kind of platform and treat this crime theme as a game, is completely horrifying, especially when that person is essentially in our own backyard.

“While the material on the platform does not involve live children, it has been created to mimic that and this is clearly of great concern to us.

“The work around removing the assets obtained through its creation are testament to the joint approach across many law enforcement agencies to target those involved in the creation of child abuse material and hold them to account.”

The AFP’s Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) also successfully restrained all of the man’s property, including two vehicles, high-end televisions and audiovisual equipment, furniture and appliances which were seized at the warrants.

CACT Commander Paula Hudson said the man allegedly “obtained significant financial benefits from the creation and distribution of this online child exploitation platform”.

“This action shows that the AFP will not tolerate anyone trying to cash in on the abuse of children by enabling predators to pay for simulated exploitation of children. We will trace and locate any ill-gotten gains and take them from offenders,” CACT Commander Hudson said.

“This is the first time the AFP has restrained the assets of an alleged online child sex predator in Victoria, and we will continue to target the assets of offenders who profit from this abhorrent crime.”

Police will work with the eSafety Commissioner in relation to the removal of the game.

The investigation into this matter remains ongoing.

The man was granted bailed to appear again in Geelong Magistrates Court on December 5.

Originally published as AFP arrest man for allegedly creating child exploitation game in Victoria