A TANILBA Bay man allegedly caught in a covert online investigation, during which he attempted to groom a woman and her young daughter, sent them child abuse material and arranged to meet the pair for sex has been refused bail.
Jason Delaney Bishop, 47, chose not to appear in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday afternoon, hours after Sex Crimes Squad detectives raided his Tanilba Bay home.
Mr Bishop did not enter any pleas to charges of using a carriage service to groom person under the age of 16 with intent to procure them for sexual activity, using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material, two counts of possession of child abuse material and failing to comply with reporting obligations of the child protection register.
The offence of using a carriage service to groom a person under the age of 16 carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail.
He did not apply for bail and it was refused.
He will next appear in Newcastle Local Court next week.
Detectives from the State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad say their Child Exploitation Internet Unit launched an investigation last month and began engaging online with Mr Bishop.
Police allege Mr Bishop believed he was speaking with a woman and her daughter, who he allegedly thought was under the age of 10, during which he allegedly engaged in "highly sexualised conversations", sent child abuse material and made arrangements to meet them for sexual activity.
After extensive investigations, detectives arrested Mr Bishop at his home about 7.30am on Wednesday.
Investigators later searched his home and seized several electronic storage devices and other items for further examination.
Mr Bishop was arrested and charged as part of Strike Force Trawler, a long-running and ongoing investigation by the Child Exploitation Unit into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and other telecommunication devices.
Strike Force Trawler conduct regular covert online investigations and say they work closely with law enforcement interstate and overseas. And the strike force is particularly active in the Hunter and Central Coast, with detectives making numerous arrests in the region over the past few years.
