A 25-year-old Melbourne man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of online offences against children. Hayden Elstob created multiple female identities on social media platforms such as Snapchat and Facebook to befriend and manipulate hundreds of children and teenagers in Australia and overseas.
Elstob encouraged his victims to self-produce child abuse material and to sexually abuse other children, including a toddler. He instructed them to photograph, film, or livestream the abuse, which he kept for his own enjoyment rather than for sale. Australian Federal Police found more than 4,500 files of child exploitation material on seven of his electronic devices.
Detective Sergeant Melinda Adam, team leader of the AFP's Victorian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, described the case as typical of what her team encounters, noting the unique complexity of the multiple fake personas used. The AFP referred over 60 matters for further investigation in the United States, New Zealand, Victoria, and New South Wales.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton stated that the case highlights the need for Australians to remain vigilant against online predators. Cyber safety expert Susan McLean noted that offenders are increasingly younger, with the average age of online sex offenders under 30, according to FBI data. She called for more police resources to handle the volume of reports.
The mother of one victim, a two-year-old who was molested by her uncle after being manipulated by Elstob, described the lasting trauma, including toilet training issues and fear of men. She urged parents to monitor their children's online activities closely.
