FORMER Victorian QC Neil James Williams is one of 22 men facing child pornography charges following the seizure of 15,000 videos and 500,000 images by federal police.

Describing the material as among the worst they had seen, investigators said yesterday the graphic images featured abuse of children lasting more than two hours and involved "instances of bondage".

The arrests, which included that of a childcare worker and a NSW policeman, follow a 12-month investigation sparked by tip-offs from Brazilian police.

In addition to the 19 men arrested in Australia, a further 200 potential offenders have been identified worldwide. Three other Australian men have been given court attendance notices, and police have flagged more arrests in coming days.

Mr Williams, 74, of Newham in Victoria, appeared in Bendigo Magistrates Court two months ago on charges of accessing and possessing child pornography. He was released on bail to appear again next March.

Mr Williams is well-known to most lawyers in Victoria, having taught a generation of would-be silks at Melbourne University in the 1960s. He is the author of the legal textbook Civil Procedure -- Victoria, described by one reviewer as "the bible for practice in the civil courts in Victoria and ... a must-have for all practitioners".

Senior Constable David Peter Stewart, 43, of Penshurst, NSW, is before the courts on similar charges and is facing an additional count of having sex with achild.

Senior Constable Stewart, who was on secondment to the AFP's airport uniform policing unit at the time of the alleged offences with which he is charged, will return to court at Sydney's Downing Centre court in January.

Another of the accused, a 24-year-old waiter, Richard Lee, from Blakehurst in southern Sydney, appeared in the city's Central Local Court yesterday charged with downloading and possessing child pornography, and six counts of having sex with a child.

Police allege Mr Lee had sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl over a 17-month period from April 1 last year until September this year. Court documents allege that on one occasion he gave the girl alcohol.

Mr Lee hung his head in the dock as magistrate Allan Moore remanded him in custody to reappear in the same court on December 17.

Over the past year, federal police have seized more than 15,000 videos and 500,000 images of abuse involving children as young as 12 months, which were shared between members of a peer-to-peer cyber network.

AFP Deputy Commissioner of operations Andrew Colvin said at least two children had been removed from harm as a result of the investigation.

"The videos seized as part of this operation have to be among the worst we have seen," he said.

"Some depicted sexual abuse of children lasting more than two hours."

He warned online sex offenders that the viewing and exchanging of child abuse material would not be tolerated.

"If we are not knocking on your door this morning, then it could be tomorrow."

Next Article»«Previous Article

Name

Email¹

State

Country

Notify²

Comments³

Add 2 numbers

 0+4= 

(Note: If wrong - comments will not be posted)

 

To further have your say, head to our forum Click Here

To contribute a news article Click Here

To view or contribute a Quote Click Here

[ 2009 Index ]