Returning from Dubai, Sydney man William John Leslie Harrop confidently ticked “no” on his customs card to the question asking if he had brought in prohibited goods, including illegal pornography.
But that was a lie. Harrop, 26, was in possession of more than 1000 child abuse material files on his phone. His recent photos folder had 764 photos and 482 videos, almost all of which depicted child abuse involving real children.
Those files were discovered by Australian Border Force (ABF) officials at Sydney Airport in September 2025. A forensic analysis of his phone found a further 184 photos and videos of abuse, alongside incriminating messages with children.
Harrop had also messaged two other paedophiles on WhatsApp, whom he had connected with via an unnamed online group, asking them what age they preferred, discussing their abuse, and requesting abuse material.
“How did you meet that boy … the one you talked about in the group?” Harrop asked one man, before asking for photos. The man detailed the abuse he had inflicted, before asking Harrop if he had “met a boy”.
“No, unfortunately,” Harrop responded.
He then connected with two 14-year-old boys, requesting child abuse material. Both had disclosed their ages to him, with Harrop asking them if it was “OK” that he was older and telling one boy to be “sensible” about whom he discussed the age discrepancy with.
The second boy, whom he met on an adult dating app, was located in the Philippines. Harrop flattered the child before making sexual remarks, repeatedly telling the boy he “loved” him and asking the child to be his “boyfriend”, before engaging in sexual activity.
Harrop pleaded guilty to three charges, including possessing child abuse material, engaging in sexual activity with a child under 16 outside Australia, and soliciting child abuse material. The court also considered a charge of using a carriage service to send indecent material to a child, and procuring a child for sexual activity outside Australia, which is outside the court’s jurisdiction, for sentencing.
He was sentenced to five years in prison, and will be eligible for parole in September 2029.
ABF superintendent Shaun Baker said every detection of child abuse material at the border was an important step in protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
“Viewing, possessing, distributing child abuse material and contact offending [crimes involving physical contact] against children are not victimless crimes, and the ABF has a zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation,” he said.
“Through intelligence-led targeting and strong collaboration with partner agencies both here in Australia and overseas, the ABF is committed to identifying offenders, preventing harm, and ensuring those involved are held to account.
“There is no place for the exploitation of children in our community. The ABF will continue to use intelligence, technology and partnerships to detect offending and protect those most at risk.”
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
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Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
