A man has been charged after allegedly engaging a teenage boy online and meeting with him for sex in the Hunter region.
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation following reports a 14-year-old boy had been sexually assaulted by a man he met on a social media application in December 2018.
The incident was reported to local police before being referred to the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad for further investigation.
Following inquiries, detectives arrested a 27-year-old man at a home in Buttai about 9.30am yesterday (Thursday 20 June 2019).
The man was taken to Maitland Police Station and charged with two counts of sexual intercourse with child between the ages of 14 and 16.
Police will allege in court that the man sexually assaulted the boy, then aged 14, in a vehicle in the Hunter region.
He was refused bail and appeared at Maitland Local Court yesterday, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at Cessnock Local Court today (Friday 21 June 2019).
Meanwhile, police are urging parents and carers to speak with their children about staying safe online.
Safe internet use – tips for parents:
• Be aware of how much time your child spends on the internet.
• Spend time talking to your child about the dangers associated with online conversations, particularly when communicating with someone that they have only ever met online.
• Spend time exploring the internet with your children and let them teach you about their favourite websites and applications.
• Keep computers or internet-enabled devices in a room the whole family can access, not in your child’s bedroom; monitor internet access on those devices.
• Consider installing filtering and/or computer blocking software provided by your internet service provider.
• Ensure you are able to access your child’s email and social media accounts and randomly check the contents.
• Check your phone bill for unusual outgoing calls and consider using ‘caller ID’ to identify incoming calls.
• Consult your telephone company for options designed to ensure privacy and security.
• Enquire with your child’s school, public library, and places they frequent to find out what internet safety measures they have in place.
• Information on internet safety is available on the NSW Police website at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/safety_and_prevention/safe_and_secure/online_safety
Tips for children:
• Do not send a picture of yourself to anyone you don’t know and never place a full profile and picture anywhere on the internet.
• Never give out your personal information, including full name, home address, phone number or school, over the internet.
• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone that you have only ever chatted with on the internet.
• Tell your parents or another adult you know of any contact that makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Think carefully before uploading or sending images or videos to people over the internet. Once you press ‘send’ it’s definite and final – you can’t get it back or take it down.
• Information on youth issues, including online safety is available on the NSW Police website at:
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/safety_and_prevention/safe_and_secure/young_people
More information and educational packages for parents and children are available from ThinkUKnow, a multi-agency program designed to educate and promote cyber safety: https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/
The Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate matters against children and adults, including sexual assault, serious physical abuse, and extreme cases of neglect.
Skip to content