WA arrest link to allegations against Nine’s McCormack
The arrest of an alleged child rapist in Western Australia has led to allegations of a nationwide child-porn ring said to include several high-profile people including a disgraced Channel Nine reporter.
The West Australian newspaper has alleged a link to A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack.
McCormack was arrested in April following an arrest made by WA Police of a suspected pedophile in the state's south.
Numerous arrests around Australia followed after police gained access to phone records, computer files and websites the contacts used to communicate with each other.
The WA Police shared the information with inter-state and federal counterparts leading to several wider investigations around the nation.
The state's police were cagey with information about the investigation on Monday but the West Australian reports the arrest of a WA Catholic primary school teacher in March was linked to the case.
The teacher has reportedly been charged with child pornography offences.
Another Queensland teacher is said to be among the arrests and now faces 35 charges including child rape and child pornography offences.
NSW Police allege McCormack shared sexually explicit fantasies with a man over the internet and faces additional charges of using a carriage service to send child exploitation material.
The veteran reporter at Channel Nine is also alleged to have been involved in the "chat and exchange of pictures" online over the past two years.
MacCormack is not charged with the same offences as those who are alleged to have been linked in these series of arrests, and there is no suggestion that he will face any charges beyond the child pornography charges before the Court.
McCormack was the point man on exposing Robert Hughes, the former Hey Dad! actor later convicted on pedophile charges.
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