Online groomer arrested

ACT Policing has arrested a 45-year-old Richardson man for using a carriage service to transmit indecent communications to a person under 16-years-old.

On 6 August, a young man and his mother attended Belconnen Police Station to report inappropriate messages the young man had received via Facebook messenger.

The messages initially offered the young man cash for him to help the offender’s son who was allegedly in a bad relationship with an older man.

When the messages became increasingly inappropriate, members from AFP’s Tectus Online Covert Program assumed the identity of the young man to communicate with the offender.

The offender was arrested on Friday 21 October at his home in Richardson and conveyed to the City Watch House.

He will appear in the ACT Magistrates Court this morning, Saturday, 22 October.

If anyone feels they have been the victim of online grooming, we urge you to report it by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at your local police station. 

We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Media enquiries

Police Media — (02) 6264 9460, act-police-media@afp.gov.au

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