Police have charged a 31-year-old man from Somerset with more than 30 additional child exploitation offences, following an investigation launched in June.

The investigation began after police received a report of inappropriate contact online with a person under the age of 18. 

As a result, investigators executed a search warrant at the man’s address in July 2021 and multiple electronic devices were seized. 

The man was employed in a non-teaching role at a school on the North West Coast at the time. He was charged in July with one count of possession of child exploitation material. He was suspended from his role at the school immediately and has since been stood down. 

Detectives have spoken to a number of young people in the north and north-west of Tasmania who reportedly received online contact from the man through fake social media accounts.

He was further charged today with:

– Attempting to involve a person under the age of 18 in the production of  child exploitation material x23;

– Involving a person under the age of 18 years in the production of child  exploitation material x6;

– Possessing child exploitation material x4;

– Possession of prohibited visual recording x2.

The online contact related to a total of 29 girls under the age of 18.  

He will appear in the Burnie Magistrates Court on 14 September 2021.

Information and resources for use by parents and educators about safe social media practices for children are available at https://www.esafety.gov.au/