Wednesday 1 July 2020

Kurri Kurri Man Arrested at Singleton Caravan Park Over Alleged Online Grooming of 14-Year-Old Girl

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Strike Force Trawler detectives have charged a man from the Hunter Valley following an investigation into the alleged online grooming of a child.

In May, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from Kurri Kurri.

Police will allege the man believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl and engaged in conversations about sexually-explicit acts he wished to perform with the child and sent her explicit material.

About 9.40am on Wednesday July 1st, following extensive inquiries, strike force investigators arrested a 47-year-old man at a caravan park in Singleton.

The man was taken to Singleton Police Station and charged with use carriage service to solicit child abuse material and use carriage service to groom child under 16 years for sex.

He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today.