Man sentenced after being found with child abuse and bestiality material on phone at Melbourne Airport

A man has been jailed after he was found with child abuse material and files depicting bestiality on his phone during a search at Melbourne Airport earlier this year.

The 38-year-old was selected by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers for a baggage and digital device examination after arriving from overseas in July 2023.

During a search officers located concerning content within a messaging application.

Further analysis led to the discovery of over 1000 files depicting child abuse material as well as over 2000 files depicting bestiality.

This content was hidden “within a photo vault application”, the ABF said.

The man’s phone was seized and on August 15 he pleaded guilty to several charges including possessing or control child abuse material obtained or accessing a carriage service, using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material and bestiality.

He was sentenced by the County Court of Victoria to five years and six months in prison with a non-parole period of three years and four months.

ABF Superintendent Ben Michalke said officers are on constant watch at the border.

“We will take the strongest possible action against all who are involved in the abuse of children as well as those who commit offences against animals,” he said.