Latest news with #child abuse
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
NSW Police officer charged with possessing child abuse, bestiality material
A police officer has been suspended without pay after he was charged over the possession of child abuse and bestiality material, and for alleged misconduct. NSW Police said it began investigating reports of unauthorised access of the police computer system in March this year, before seizing the electronic devices of a senior constable in May. Mitchell Leslie, 38, was arrested on Tuesday morning and refused bail to appear at Hornsby Local Court that afternoon. It's alleged the officer had the child abuse and bestiality material on his personal phone and laptop. The prosecution told the court he was in possession of "potentially over 200,000 images" of child abuse material. Mr Leslie was charged with misconduct in public office, two counts of possessing child abuse material, person possessing bestiality material and three counts of access/modify restricted data held in computer. Court documents alleged he unlawfully accessed the confidential NSW Police Force computer policing system database and unlawfully accessed restricted data. Among allegations of misconduct, Mr Leslie has been accused of protecting his partner from being detected driving unlawfully, being "complicit" in his partner's brother avoiding apprehension of domestic violence offences, and misusing a police vehicle. Court documents also alleged he provided his partner with a letter on NSW Police letterhead for the Department of Communities and Justice to "assist with prioritised residence relocation". The documents said he did so "being outside the scope of his duty and a conflict of interest". His barrister Imogan Hogan applied for bail for reasons including that he was receiving mental health treatment and intended to be transferred to an in-patient PTSD program. Ms Hogan raised concerns over his custody, including that he was involved in the arrests of outlaw motorcycle gang members while he was part of the Raptor Squad. The prosecution argued the allegations he faced were "very serious" and that releasing him on bail or imposing conditions would be a risk. "Due to the unacceptable risk of further serious offending and interference with evidence and witnesses … there are significant bail concerns," the prosecution said. The magistrate refused his bail application "due to the unacceptable risk". He is suspended without pay, and an urgent review of his employment status is underway. Mr Leslie will next appear in court on September 10.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Call for Hong Kong to set up registry of filicide cases to reduce killings
Two years ago, a mother in Hong Kong was accused of suffocating her three children in their home in Sham Shui Po. Police said they found blood stains on a pillow and in the mouth and nose of one of the girls. The mother was arrested after she and her brother alerted the force. Last year, a debt-ridden father threw his seven-year-old son off the rooftop of a shopping centre before he jumped to his death, while the boy was critically injured. Hong Kong has been repeatedly shocked by cases centred on parents allegedly trying to kill their children, with at least three recorded each year from 2020 to 2024, according to a count of reports by the Post. Victims ranged from newborns to adult children who were intellectually or physically disabled. In interviews with the Post, experts in health and social work called on the government to set up a registry to document and identify patterns in these tragedies, so authorities could devise measures to prevent future cases.
