'Indecent act directed at 'girl', 12'

A Victorian man has been charged after he allegedly filmed himself committing indecent acts while communicating online with a person he believed was a 12-year-old WA girl.

The 45-year-old man was identified by the WA Police Online Child Exploitation Squad, who later handed the investigation over to Victorian Police.

Police seized laptops and a hard drive after raiding the man's home in Sassafras last week.

The offender has been charged with using a carriage service to procure a person under the age of 16, using a carriage service to groom a person under the age of 16 and indecent communications to a person under 16

Online Child Exploitation Squad officer-in-charge Det-Sen. Lindsay Garratt said parents should be aware of the risks surrounding social networking.

"It is important that we keep reminding parents who may have children approaching their pubescent years to talk about the risks involved in social networking," she said.

"I like the idea of setting up a written contract between parents and the child, as soon the child is at an age where they are about be using the internet."