The 66-year-old from Yallourn North,in the La Trobe Valley,allegedly travelled to Sydney after communicating online with what he believed to be the mother of the child.
The Victorian man,centre,was arrested in Liverpool on Friday morning and was charged with using a carriage service to procure a person under the age of 16 years for sexual activity.NSW Police Force
In fact,police say that he was speaking to a detective from the Child Exploitation Investigation Unit’s Strike Force Trawler,an elite unit who use online stings to catch alleged would-be child abusers by impersonating children online on sites and apps known to be popular with predators.
“It will be further alleged that the man arranged to meet the mother and girl and had driven from Victoria for the purpose of a sexual encounter in NSW,” NSW Police said in a statement on Saturday morning.
He was arrested in Liverpool on Friday morning and taken to Liverpool police station. He was charged with using a carriage service to procure a person under the age of 16 years for sexual activity.
The man appeared in Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday and did not apply for bail. As NSW school holidays approach,Strike Force Trawler boss Detective Chief Inspector Chris Goddard said parents should be across what their children are doing online.
“Parents and guardians need to have regular conversations with children about how they can keep themselves safe online,” Chief Inspector Goddard said.
“For young people,engaging with people who they do not know on any online platform can put them at risk.
“Our priority is protecting children from any type of harm,and we will always utilise every resource at our disposal to locate anyone who uses the internet for criminal activity.”
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