02-08-2025
University academic faces charges after allegedly showing child abuse material to students during university lecture, Melbourne
A 70-year-old academic from Melbourne has been charged with multiple serious offences after he allegedly displayed child abuse material to students during a university lecture taking place earlier this year.
In response to reports made to authorities, officers from Victoria Police's Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team commenced an investigation extending across both Melbourne and Sydney.
The investigation led to the seizure of several electronic devices believed to be linked to the alleged offence.
According to Victoria Police, the academic, who resides in Middle Park, displayed the prohibited material during a lecture held in Melbourne's CBD on February 5, 2025.
As part of their investigation, police carried out a search warrant on 12 February at the man's residence in Middle Park, where they confiscated a range of electronic devices for further examination.
The following day, with support from the New South Wales Police Force, a second search warrant was executed at a property located in Sydney, New South Wales.
More electronic devices were seized at the second property in Sydney's east.
The investigation into those devices remains ongoing.
The academic has now been charged with one Federal offence relating to the possession of child abuse material, along with two additional child abuse material offences under Victoria's Crimes Act.
He is due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on August 7.
