A NEWCASTLE member of a major network of Australian child sex offenders, who abused and exploited children and shared the images and videos on encrypted and content-expiring messaging apps, has been jailed for a maximum of four-and-a-half years.
Among the online network smashed by a massive Australian Federal Police investigation, labelled Operation Arkstone, there were three men from the Hunter using an instant messaging app to share and discuss the most "abhorrent" and "depraved" child abuse material and bestiality.
Bret Chesworth, now 55, of New Lambton Heights, was one of those men. The others are a Corrective Services NSW employee and a Centrelink branch manager.
Chesworth, who pleaded guilty in June to seven charges, including using a carriage service to transmit, solicit and access child abuse material and preparing to procure a person under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity, was on Friday jailed for a maximum of four-and-a-half years, with a non-parole period of two-and-half years.
He will be eligible for parole in May, 2023.
The massive AFP investigation started when police seized a mobile phone from a Wyong man in February 2020.
Since then investigators have arrested 21 people across Australia, laid more than 1300 charges of child exploitation and bestilality, identified 55 child victims in Australia and removed 11 animals from harm.
Police also made 146 international referrals after identifying links through online forums and messaging applications to child sex offenders in Europe, Asia, United States and Canada.
Of the 21 people arrested in Australia - spanning the country from Perth to Sydney and up to Townsville - 15 are from NSW, with a number of those appearing on the surface to be family men or professionals, including a child care worker, a football coach and a senior Rugby Australia executive.
