An investigation into a major online paedophile network has found 16 children from one NSW Mid-North Coast childcare centre were allegedly sexually abused by a former worker.
The operation was described as one of Australia's most significant child exploitation cases. Photo: Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the operation was one of Australia's most significant efforts targeting child exploitation.
Investigators identified links through the online forums to alleged child sex offenders residing in Europe, Asia, United States and Canada, and New Zealand, with 146 international referrals made as a result of this investigation, AFP said.
The AFP and NSW Police arrested 14 men, who are facing a total of 828 charges for child abuse offences, and are accused of producing and sharing child abuse material to a wide-reaching online network in Australia and overseas.
Investigations began in February after the arrest of 30-year-old man Justin Radford from Central Coast north of Sydney, who was charged with 89 offences including sexual touching of a victim under 10, and producing and disseminating child abuse material.
In June, 27-year-old Timothy Doyle and his 22-year-old partner Steven Garrad were arrested in the town of Kendall and charged with hundreds of offences.
Doyle has been charged with 303 offences relating to the abuse of 30 children, with allegations including sexual intercourse with a child under 10 and the production of child abuse material.
"Police will allege the man used his position as a childcare worker, and other deceptive means in his personal life, to gain access to 30 children," the AFP said in a statement.
"The man's partner, a 22-year-old man, also allegedly abused children his partner accessed through deceptive means in his personal life."
Electronic evidence was seized after police raided the home of a 30-year-old Wyong man. Photo: Australian Federal Police
It is believed the childcare centre is not in the town of Kendall and parents of all victims have been notified.
A total 46 children are alleged to have been abused in connection with the ring, with ages ranging between 16 months and 15 years.
Arrests have also been made in Queensland and WA and three men have also been arrested in the US as a result of the operation.
The Australian men arrested were aged 20 to 48 and include volunteer soccer coach Grant Harden, from St Clair in Sydney's west, a disability support worker, an electrician and a chef.
Earlier this month, 27-year-old Jake Caldwell was arrested at Seaforth in Sydney's north and charged with four offences related to possessing and accessing child abuse material.
AFP Assistant Commissioner, Eastern Command, Justine Gough described the ring as "a complex and inter-related web of criminality".
"Search warrants and evidence gathering at every arrest have led to the unravelling of a criminal network, each one leading to the discovery of alleged offenders and more children to be saved from ongoing abuse," she said.
Assistant Commissioner Gough said investigators "discovered social media forums where child offenders were producing, sharing and trading aberrant child abuse material with their criminal peers".
The investigation began after the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) in February received a report from the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children about an online user allegedly uploading child abuse material.
Further electronic items seized during a raid of the Wyong man's home. Photo: Australian Federal Police
Police have laid 30 charges against three men in Queensland with one child victim identified, and 221 charges laid against three men with six child victims identified in WA.
The operation also resulted in NSW bestiality charges related to four animals.
"We've not ruled out further arrests in Australia or offshore, or sadly, the identification of further victims in Australia and offshore," Gough said.
"No child should be subjected to abuse and violence from the people they trust - whether that's a family member, a child care worker or a soccer coach," she said.
"Sadly and heartbreakingly this has been the case for the victims of Operation Arkstone."
NSW Police Force Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said it would be alleged all three NSW men gained access to their victims through their jobs.
"One of the key allegations for all three of these offenders is offending in a position of authority," he said.
Adam Parks from US Homeland Security Investigations said three people had been arrested in the US in connection with the alleged network.
"This is a borderless crime and it requires a borderless response," he said.
- ABC