Latest news with #StrikeForceTrawler
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Popular children's author enters plea after he was arrested for grooming underage girls for sex
A popular children's author has pleaded guilty to sex offences laid against him. Oliver Phommavanh, 41, was arrested and charged with online grooming on May 16 last year. Phommavanh allegedly sent inappropriate images to someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl. NSW State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad detectives launched an investigation after receiving an interstate report that the children's author had allegedly been communicating inappropriately with a child online. Officers under Strike Force Trawler arrested Phommavanh and executed a search warrant at his Old Guildford home, where several electronic devices were seized. Phommavanh was charged with use of a carriage service to groom someone under 16 years old for sex and use of carriage service to procure someone less than 16 years old for sexual activity. Detectives allege he used his position as a children's author to engage inappropriately with kids online. This included inappropriate photos and videos sent to one girl known as 'LK' and another he thought to be a child but was actually an undercover police officer. Phommavanh was first released on bail before being charged in August with crimes he allegedly committed between June 2022 and December 2023. He faced a second round of charges in November for offences allegedly carried out between 2019 and May 2024. Phommavanh pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years for sex, using a carriage service to procure a person under 16 for sexual activity and using a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a child at Parramatta Local Court on Friday. He also pleaded guilty to attempting use a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a child, using a carriage service to send indecent material to a person under 16, using a carriage service to make child abuse available and using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material. Phommavanh's case will return to court on September 12. He will later be sentenced in the NSW District Court. Phommavanh grew up in western Sydney and is a self-described author, comedian and teacher and had a history of visiting schools and libraries as a lecturer. He has written books including 'Thai-riffic!' and 'The Other Christy' and was an ambassador for the NSW Premier's reading challenge.
Herald Sun
24-06-2025
- Herald Sun
Albury doctor charged after police find child abuse material
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News. A NSW doctor who allegedly had more than 5000 videos and photos of child abuse material on his mobile phone has been charged. Australia Border Force officers seized the doctor's phone at Melbourne Airport in May after they suspected it contained child abuse material. The phone was handed over to detectives from the NSW Sex Crimes Squad who discovered thousands of files on the phone. The squad is part of Strike Force Trawler that investigates the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and telecommunication devices. The doctor was arrested in Albury during a search conducted by strike force detectives. He was taken to Albury Police Station and charged with possession of child abuse material, using a phone to access child abuse material and importing prohibited goods. 'There is no evidence to suggest any offending occurred against his patients,' a police spokesman said. He was refused bail and will appear in the Albury Local Court on Tuesday as police continue to investigate. Originally published as NSW Police charge Albury doctor with possession of child abuse images and videos Babies A former MasterChef contestant and celebrated author has welcomed an adorable baby girl into the world. Breaking News A mounting debt hole in one Australian state has sparked warnings of a 'sharp' financial deterioration.
ABC News
24-06-2025
- ABC News
Albury doctor charged after child abuse imagesl allegedly found on phone
Detectives have charged an Albury doctor after an investigation found alleged child abuse material on his phone. In May, Australian Border Force officers seized a phone from the 37-year-old man at Melbourne Airport. The phone was then referred to the NSW State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad, where detectives allegedly found more than 5,000 video and photo files of child abuse material. Detectives working under the Strike Force Trawler operation, which undertakes ongoing investigations into the online exploitation of children, arrested the doctor in Albury on Tuesday morning. The man was then charged with several offences, including possessing child abuse material and using a carriage to access child abuse material. After his arrest, the doctor was taken to Albury police station before appearing at Albury Local Court. He was refused bail and will face Albury Local Court on August 19. Police say there is no evidence to suggest any offence occurred against the doctor's patients.
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Perth Now
Doc caught with 5000 child abuse files: Cops
A NSW doctor who allegedly had more than 5000 videos and photos of child abuse material on his mobile phone has been charged. NewsWire / Glenn Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia A NSW doctor who allegedly had more than 5000 videos and photos of child abuse material on his mobile phone has been charged. Australia Border Force officers seized the doctor's phone at Melbourne Airport in May after they suspected it contained child abuse material. The phone was handed over to detectives from the NSW Sex Crimes Squad who discovered thousands of files on the phone. The squad is part of Strike Force Trawler that investigates the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and telecommunication devices. Strike Force Trawler detectives allegedly found thousands of files on the doctor's phone that contained child sexual abuse material. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia The doctor was arrested in Albury during a search conducted by strike force detectives. He was taken to Albury Police Station and charged with possession of child abuse material, using a phone to access child abuse material and importing prohibited goods. 'There is no evidence to suggest any offending occurred against his patients,' a police spokesman said. He was refused bail and will appear in the Albury Local Court on Tuesday as police continue to investigate.
News.com.au
24-06-2025
- News.com.au
NSW Police charge Albury doctor with possession of child abuse images and videos
A NSW doctor who allegedly had more than 5000 videos and photos of child abuse material on his mobile phone has been charged. Australia Border Force officers seized the doctor's phone at Melbourne Airport in May after they suspected it contained child abuse material. The phone was handed over to detectives from the NSW Sex Crimes Squad who discovered thousands of files on the phone. The squad is part of Strike Force Trawler that investigates the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and telecommunication devices. The doctor was arrested in Albury during a search conducted by strike force detectives. He was taken to Albury Police Station and charged with possession of child abuse material, using a phone to access child abuse material and importing prohibited goods. 'There is no evidence to suggest any offending occurred against his patients,' a police spokesman said. He was refused bail and will appear in the Albury Local Court on Tuesday as police continue to investigate.
