A NSW Police officer who is facing child abuse material charges has had his identity suppressed by the courts.
The 26-year-old male constable, who works in Sydney’s Central Metropolitan Region, was arrested on Thursday after investigators searched a home in Clemton Park and seized electronic devices.
He was charged with “possess child abuse data – use carriage service” (two counts), “transmit to self – child abuse matter by carriage service”, and “use carriage service – solicit child abuse matter” and refused bail to face Bankstown Local Court on Friday.
During his court appearance the officer’s lawyer successfully applied for an interim suppression order preventing the publication of the officer’s identity, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The order was granted as the officer was remanded in custody by Magistrate George Breton until November, with the suppression order set to be ruled upon next week.
The court heard the prosecution case is strong with the constable likely to be given a custodial sentence if convicted.
The officer is suspended from duty without pay and his employment status is under review, police said on Friday.
The protection of the officer’s identity comes after NSW courts slapped a 40-year suppression order on the personal details of a senior police officer who crashed his police issue vehicle while drunk and tried to cover it up.
That officer was fined just $1,500 in February after being given a court deal where he pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving. Prosecutors alleged he consumed 20 alcoholic drinks before the crash but he fled the scene before he could be breath-tested.
Header image credit: NSW Police.
