Cruise passenger arrested for attempted child abuse

Police have arrested a cruise ship passenger as he disembarked at Sydney’s International Passenger Terminal. The man was arrested on suspicion of attempting to manipulate a child into inappropriate activity.

The 48-year-old, a resident of Griffith, New South Wales, has not been named. According to the New South Wales Police Sex Crimes Squad, he had arranged online to meet a 14-year-old girl upon his return from a cruise holiday in the South Pacific.

Police began investigating in June when detectives discovered an anonymous online user attempting to contact children. “During the course of the investigation, the male allegedly sent inappropriate photos and videos to what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl,” NSW Police said.

Accused man appears in Sydney court

He was accused of using a carriage service to solicit a child under 16 for sexual activity. After questioning, he was refused bail and made his first appearance in Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on Friday.

New South Wales police said the arrest is part of the wider Strike Force Trawler investigation into online grooming, which is being led by the police’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit.

According to Cruisemapper data, the man was a guest on the P&O Cruises Australia ship Pacific Adventure, which docked in Sydney an hour before the arrest.

The ship was on a 10-day ‘Discover Vanuatu’ tour, visiting Mystery Island, Port Vila and Champagne Bay in the South Pacific archipelago.

The ship departed later on Friday for a short return cruise to Moreton Island, Queensland.

Pacific Adventure (formerly Golden Princess) will be renamed and integrated into Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet early next year as the P&O Cruises Australia brand phases out.

Last month, two Carnival Cruise Line crew members were arrested in New Orleans after inappropriate images of minors were found in their possession.