Sans Souci man charged as part of online grooming investigation

NSW Police said he was one of four men charged over the past week following separate investigations by Strike Force Trawler detectives into alleged online grooming across NSW.

NSW Police allege detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad's Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with the Sans Souci man last month.

Police allege the man believed he was speaking with a 13-year-old girl and engaged in sexually explicit conversations about acts he wished to perform with her.

Police said a search warrant was executed at a Sans Souci property on Thursday, June 10, and detectives seized electronic devices.

Following further inquiries, detectives arrested the 43-year-old man at Kogarah Police Station on Tuesday, June 15. He was charged with use carriage service-procure under 16 years for sexual activity.

He appeared at Sutherland Local Court last Friday, June 18, where he was granted strict conditional bail until his next court appearance on Friday, August 13.

Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad Commander, Detective Acting Superintendent Chris Goddard, said the incidents were a timely reminder for parents and carers to speak with young people about potential dangers online.

"For young people, any online platform that allows them to be in contact with others that they do not know - and have only met in the online environment - can put them at risk," Detective Goddard said.

"From a police perspective, 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 to groom children.

"With school holidays drawing closer, we want to remind the community to have regular conversations with children about their activities online and how they can keep themselves safe."

So far this year, investigators from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad's Child Exploitation Internet Unit have executed 27 search warrants and arrested 26 people for 95 offences.

Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.

Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU, with NSW Police working closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.