37,000 images reveal the dark reality of child exploitation in Australia

A South Australian man who sexually abused young children and collected more than 37,000 child exploitation images has been sentenced to 19 years in prison.

The 49-year-old man from O’Sullivan Beach was sentenced by the South Australian District Court to 19 years, 1 month, and 25 days in prison, of which he must serve 14 years and 4 months without parole.

Australian police identified the perpetrator following investigations that began in 2018, after Interpol alerted authorities that child abuse images circulating on the dark web had likely been produced in Australia.

Further analysis of online material by Queensland Police led investigators to narrow the origin of the images to South Australia. In 2021, the case was referred to the South Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SA JACET).

SA JACET, made up of officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and South Australia Police, pieced together clues from thousands of online images, leading to a major breakthrough.

Victim identification specialists were able to narrow the focus to Adelaide’s southern suburbs.

In March 2023, SA JACET executed a search warrant at a residence in O’Sullivan Beach, seizing 10 electronic storage devices, which were later confirmed to contain more than 37,000 files of child abuse material.

In February 2025, the convicted offender pleaded guilty to:

• Nine counts of producing child exploitation material, contrary to Section 63 of the South Australian Consolidated Criminal Law Act 1935;
• One count of distributing child exploitation material, under the same act;
• One count of possessing or controlling child abuse material;
• One additional count of possessing child exploitation material, under Section 63A of the 1935 Act.

Detective Superintendent Melinda Adam of the AFP said that determination, strong collaboration, and persistent investigation were key to bringing a known offender to justice.

Adam stated: “The AFP and our partner agencies work relentlessly and will never stop fighting to hold offenders accountable and protect children. This is not a victimless crime. Children must never be treated as commodities for the gratification of criminals.”

Child sexual abuse: A national crisis in Australia

Child sexual abuse is one of Australia’s most critical social challenges, with severe and long-term psychological, physical, and social consequences for victims.

Research shows that abuse occurs not only within families and communities but is also widespread in schools and care institutions across the country.

According to childsafety.gov.au, child sexual abuse in Australia is “a national tragedy.”

Despite national inquiries, tougher legislation, and prevention programs, the government has so far struggled to significantly curb the crisis.

The Australian Child Maltreatment Study, the largest national investigation of its kind involving more than 8,500 participants, found that:

• 28.5% of Australians – more than 1 in 4 – experienced at least one form of sexual abuse before the age of 18.
• Abuse included both contact offenses (such as touching or rape) and non-contact offenses (such as sexual exposure).

The data also showed that 78% of victims were abused more than once during childhood.

Studies further indicate that victims are 2 to 3 times more likely than the general population to experience mental illness, substance abuse, health problems, and unemployment later in life.