A Victoria Police officer has been accused of transmitting child abuse material, less than a week after a counter-terrorism digital forensics officer was charged with similar offences.
The first constable, a 28-year-old from the Western Region, which covers half of the state, was charged on Monday following a Professional Standards Internal Investigation, police said.
He was charged with one count each of transmit material using a carriage service – the material being child abuse material – and use a carriage service in a way that a reasonable person would regard as being, in all the circumstances offensive.
The offences were allegedly committed in January 2025, while the officer was off-duty.
He was charged on summons, meaning he was not required to apply for bail and can live freely in the community until he faces court. Victoria Police has not revealed which court he will appear on, or on which date.
It comes after Vincent Manner, 57, a digital forensics officer from Bendigo who worked for Crime and Counter Terrorism Investigation Services, was charged on Tuesday with two counts of misconduct in public office, four counts of access child abuse material, six counts of possess child abuse material, and 11 counts of fail to provide information under warrant.
He will face Bendigo Magistrates Court on November 4.
Victoria Police said last week the investigation had impacted cases Manner was involved in.
“The investigation, undertaken by Professional Standards Command in conjunction with the Cybercrime Squad, worked with the OPP and DPP to understand the impact of the ongoing enquiry on any current investigations or court matters,” police said in a statement.
“Following the identification of a number of potentially affected matters, a formal review of the forensic data was conducted. This re-examination has been completed.
“At this stage it is believed all issues have been identified and reviewed and impacted parties have been notified.”
Header image credit: Victoria Police.
