By Greg Wood | AFP News
A teacher from one of Sydney's most exclusive private boys schools was among 11 men charged Wednesday with swapping pictures of child sexual abuse.
The 40-year-old taught at The King's Preparatory School for 10 years until he was arrested last week, when he resigned.
The Australian Federal Police said it had uncovered a cyber network that had been sharing hundreds of child abuse images, including scenes of bondage, torture and rape.
Investigators used a covert account to identify those allegedly involved in a four-month nationwide operation, with the men arrested aged between 18 and 67.
"The images we have seen ranged from the very low end range of child exploitation ... right through to the highest category, where we're talking torture, bondage, rape," Commander Grant Edwards said.
Some of the videos were filmed in Australia but most of the images were from overseas, he added.
Police said two children in Australia at risk had been taken into care.
The men were charged with offences relating to accessing, transmitting and possessing child exploitation material, with one also accused of having sex with children under 14.
"For every child pornography image there is a child being subjected to sexual abuse somewhere in the world," said Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor.
"Child pornography is not a victimless crime -- it is one of the most vile crimes in our community today. That's why the government and the Australian Federal Police are acting to stop it."
The 40-year-old taught at The King's Preparatory School for 10 years until he was arrested last week, when he resigned.
The Australian Federal Police said it had uncovered a cyber network that had been sharing hundreds of child abuse images, including scenes of bondage, torture and rape.
Investigators used a covert account to identify those allegedly involved in a four-month nationwide operation, with the men arrested aged between 18 and 67.
"The images we have seen ranged from the very low end range of child exploitation ... right through to the highest category, where we're talking torture, bondage, rape," Commander Grant Edwards said.
Some of the videos were filmed in Australia but most of the images were from overseas, he added.
Police said two children in Australia at risk had been taken into care.
The men were charged with offences relating to accessing, transmitting and possessing child exploitation material, with one also accused of having sex with children under 14.
"For every child pornography image there is a child being subjected to sexual abuse somewhere in the world," said Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor.
"Child pornography is not a victimless crime -- it is one of the most vile crimes in our community today. That's why the government and the Australian Federal Police are acting to stop it."
