A HUNTER man has been charged by the state’s Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit after an arrest at Salamander Bay on Thursday morning.
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Specialist police began engaging online with a man in July, and will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking to a 14-year-old girl.
Police will allege he “engaged in highly-sexualised conversations and made arrangements to meet with the child for sex”.
The 42-year-old was arrested by detectives in a shopping centre car park about 10am.
Investigators executed a search warrant on a Tanilba Bay a short time after the man was taken into custody. They seized two laptops and an electronic storage device.
Police took the man to Raymond Terrace police station, where he was charged with use a carriage service to procure person under 16 years for sex.
He was refused bail and will face court again on Friday.
Investigations are continuing.
The arrest is part of Strike Force Trawler, an ongoing investigation by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad. Regular covert online investigations are undertaken.
Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/