Police send principals child porn
 

Police send principals child porn
November 25, 2004

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...E31317,00.html

CHILD porn images had been accidentally sent to New South Wales schools by police in a "regrettable incident", senior police said today.

The images of three girls believed by police to be at serious risk were emailed "in good faith" to the education department and then forwarded to 1,800 government school principals across the state.

But software used to crop the images had left the full pictures embedded in the file, State Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Graeme Morgan said today.

"This resulted in pornographic material being accidentally sent to the Department for distribution to school principals in an effort to identify the children at risk," Mr Morgan said.

Principals had opened 80 per cent of the emails and most had viewed only the intended images.

But five principals had advised police that they were able to access the full images.

"Police intended only the faces of the three young girls to be viewed by the principals," Mr Morgan said.

"However, this morning we were advised that a small number of files had been opened and the full image was viewed.

"Immediate steps were taken to recall all unopened emails and police have disseminated an urgent request that all unopened files be deleted and any images printed destroyed."

Mr Morgan described the incident as unfortunate and regrettable, adding that a full investigation was under way.

He said police had been unable to identify where the photographs were taken or whether the girls were residents of NSW.

A 30-year-old Cessnock man allegedly found in possession of the photos had been charged with possession of child pornography and would face Cessnock Local Court on December 15.

The discovery was not connected to the recent nation-wide crackdown on child pornography, Operation Auxin.