Couple charged with child porn offences
A fugitive couple who have been on the run from police for the past three weeks have been charged with child pornography offences.
Craig Stanley, 28, and Rebecca Michels, 25, appeared before Horsham Magistrates' Court this afternoon after they were arrested earlier today following a tip off by a member of the public.
Both have been charged with four counts of possessing, making and transmitting child pornography, and with an indecent act with a child under 16.
They have been remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.
The breakthrough came in the tiny town of Dimboola, 4ookms northwest of Melbourne, when police arrested Mr Stanley in a supermarket as he shopped for groceries.
His fiancee Rebecca Michels, 25, was arrested at a nearby campsite in the Dimboola National Park.
At a media conference earlier today, Detective inspector Shayne Pannell said police were alerted to the couple's whereabouts by a camper.
"We were tipped off by campers in the National Park there and they alerted local police," he said.
"We searched the area and that's where we came across Craig in the local supermarket."
Det. Inspector Pannell said the pair had been camping in their hideout for several days and had lost weight.
Neither resisted arrest but went willingly when approached by police.
The news of today's arrests brought mostly relief for the Michels' family.
Ms Michels' father Ross McAdie told the Herald Sun: "It's been a long time.
"We haven't spoken to her yet, but from a parent's point of view you hope every minute of the day it was going to end. Thankfully we are there."
Mr McAdie and his wife, Patricia, will fly from Darwin to Melbourne either tonight or tomorrow, the newspaper reports.
It was initially thought the pair, from Langwarrin, had gone missing, but it later emerged they were wanted by police in connection with 'serious criminal offences'.
The engaged couple went missing on October 26 when they hired a car and drove from their Frankston home, telling family and friends they were planning to pan for gold in the Bendigo area.
The hire car containing some of their belongings was freighted back to Melbourne.
Arrest warrants were issued after their computer, which was seized by police, had been checked.
It later emerged police had spoken to the couple and raided their home just hours before they disappeared.
Ms Michels' family initially made an impassioned plea for information on her whereabouts.
Her father, Ross McAdie, said at the time the family was stunned to learn of the twist in the case, and called for her to turn herself over to police.
Mr Stanley is a keen ghost hunter and regularly travels around Victoria in search of paranormal activity, visiting old buildings and cemeteries.
The 28-year-old had also worked as a private investigator, a bodyguard and a tour guide at the Old Geelong Gaol.
