Teacher charged, remanded over 200 child offences
Fraser Barton |
A teacher accused of the indecent treatment of children has been charged with more than 200 additional offences.
The 35-year-old man initially faced a total of five charges after his recent arrest in far north Queensland, police said.
However he was charged on Saturday with hundreds more after detectives allegedly found additional child exploitation material on his electronic devices.
The additional charges include 64 counts of indecent treatment and 61 counts of involving a child in making child exploitation material.
The man has also been charged with 42 counts of making child exploitation material, 26 counts of taking a child for an immoral purpose and seven counts of using a carriage service to access child abuse material.
Police say the man is an employee of Education Queensland and the alleged offending took place in Redlynch, a suburb in the west of Cairns.
A total of 24 complainants have been identified as part of the investigation.
“However, we’re certainly open to receiving more information,” Detective Acting Inspector Jason Chetham told reporters on Monday.
Referrals to counselling services have been offered to affected families by police.
The man has been remanded in custody and will reappear in the Cairns Magistrates Court in 2024.
AAP