Six kids rescued as alleged predator arrested in Darwin car park over sickening crimes
An alleged predator faced court on Tuesday over what the Australian Federal Police described as 'sickening' sexual abuse against children as young as six.
The 68-year-old Darwin man allegedly directed the sexual abuse of young children while watching the crimes streamed live from another location.
He has been charged with two counts of sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia, two counts of sexual activity with a child outside Australia, and one count of possessing child abuse material.
Six children were rescued from local abuse facilitators in the Philippines as part of the investigation into the Darwin man.
The 68-year-old, who was living between his yacht and car, was arrested at a Dinah Beach car park on January 3.
That arrest came just two days after he had been stopped for a baggage examination by Australian Border Force (ABF) officials while returning to the Northern Territory on New Year's Day.
His phone was seized as part of the security checks, and 'sexually explicit videos and images of children, as well as video calls from the man to facilitators in the Philippines instructing them to livestream sexual abuse of children as young as six' were found.
The child victims were removed from harm in April by the Philippine National Police, after the Northern Territory Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team alerted Australian Federal Police officials in Manila.
The alleged predator first appeared in Darwin Local Court on January 7 and remained in police custody until facing court again on Tuesday.
If found guilty of all five charges, the Darwin man faces a cumulative maximum sentence of 95 years in prison.
'Six children are safe because of their diligence and the work of our domestic and international law enforcement partners,' ABF Commander Tracie Griffin said.
'I want to commend the work of the ABF officers involved in the alleged discovery of child abuse material on this man's phone.'
She said the arrest was a stark reminder of the role ABF officers play at the nation's borders in protecting the most vulnerable.
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