National

Children's author charged with online grooming

By AAP Newswire

May 18, 2024

Author arrested for online grooming — NSW police have charged a 41-year-old children's author for alleged online grooming. -AAP

NSW Police have charged a children's author for the alleged online grooming of children, under Strike Force Trawler.

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State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad force detectives launched an investigation in early May after receiving an interstate report a children's author was allegedly communicating inappropriately with a child on online.

During the investigation, the man allegedly sent inappropriate photos and videos to someone who he believed was a 13-year-old girl.

Following an investigation, police executed a search warrant at an Old Guildford home at 8am on Friday.

Detectives arrested a 41-year-old man and seized several electronic devices.

The man was taken to Fairfield Police Station where he was charged with use carriage service to groom under 16 years old for sex and use carriage service procure less than 16 years old for sexual activity.

Detectives allege the man used his position as a children's author to engage inappropriately with children online.

He was refused bail and appeared before Fairfield Local Court on Friday.

Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by Sex Crimes Squad's Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet.

Investigations continue.