Key Points
- A detective from the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad has charged a 68-year-old man in Moruya. The man’s name is reported by the media as John Lloyd Olsen.
- The man was arrested at around 8.45 am on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, at a Moruya caravan park.
- Furthermore, police searched a property in Congo on the NSW Far South Coast. Several items were recovered as part of the search.
- The man is charged with using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years old and inciting sexual intercourse with a child under 10.
- The investigation has been carried out as part of Strike Force Trawler, an ongoing probe into child exploitation online carried out by the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad Child Exploitation Internet Unit.
- The man was brought to Batemans Bay Police Station and appeared in front of the NSW Local Court on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
- No bail has been granted to the man. The case will be heard at Batemans Bay Local Court on 14 December 2026. No pleas have been made.
Wales (Wales Times ) October 21, 2026 – A 68-year-old man from Moruya, on the New South Wales Far South Coast, has been charged after detectives alleged he attempted to groom a child online. The man, identified in court coverage as John Lloyd Olsen, was arrested by detectives from the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad and later refused bail.
As reported by About Regional, police began investigating Olsen earlier in October before arresting him at a Moruya caravan park. He was subsequently taken to Batemans Bay Police Station, where he was formally charged.
The allegations concern communications said to have taken place online. According to NSW Police, the investigation forms part of Strike Force Trawler, an ongoing operation by the Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.
What charges has the man faced?
The man has been charged with two offences: using a carriage service to groom a person under 16, and inciting sexual intercourse with a child under 10.
As reported by The Batemans Bay Post, the charges followed his arrest in Moruya by Strike Force Trawler detectives. The publication stated that the man was taken to Batemans Bay Police Station before being charged with the alleged grooming and incitement offences.
The term “carriage service” is used in Australian law to cover communications carried by telecommunications systems, including online services. The charge alleges the use of such a service in connection with the alleged grooming of a person aged under 16.
It is important to distinguish between an allegation and a finding of guilt. As About Regional reported, no pleas were entered when the matter came before court, meaning the charges have not yet been tested at a trial or admitted by the accused.
When and where was the arrest made?
Police said the arrest occurred at about 8.45am on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, in Moruya.
According to the police account reproduced by Mirage News, Strike Force Trawler detectives arrested the 68-year-old man in Moruya and, at the same time, executed a search warrant at a property in Congo. Police said a number of items were seized during the search.
About Regional reported that the arrest took place at a Moruya caravan park. The report did not identify the caravan park or provide further details about the property searched in Congo.
Moruya is a town in the Eurobodalla region on the NSW South Coast. Congo is a nearby coastal locality, also within the Eurobodalla area. The police operation therefore focused on locations in the state’s Far South Coast region.
What did police allege happened online?
Police allege the man attempted to groom a child online. The court was told that he had allegedly communicated with an “online agent” about meeting the mother of a 10-year-old child in order to sexually abuse that child.
As reported by About Regional, the police prosecutor, Sergeant Perry, told the court that Olsen allegedly indicated a desire to harm children with the assistance of their mother when he was arrested at the caravan park. Sergeant Perry claimed:
“He is an extreme risk to the community.”
These claims were made during a bail application and remain allegations. The court has not made findings that the alleged conduct occurred, and the prosecution case has yet to be tested.
Why was bail refused?
Bail was refused after the court considered the seriousness of the allegations and the alleged risk to the community. Acting Judge Keith Alder described the allegations as very serious and said the prosecution case appeared exceptionally strong.
According to About Regional, the judge said Olsen was alleged to have made a number of sexual comments about children, rather than only one comment. The judge said he was not satisfied that the risks of releasing the man into the community could be reduced sufficiently.
The man’s lawyer, Stewart Holt, told the court that the charges were strictly indictable, meaning the matter could take a long time before it was tested and finalised.
The defence also raised matters relevant to bail, including that Olsen owned a home in the Eurobodalla, had worked in community housing organisations between 1994 and 2022, and had more recently worked as a self-employed computer programmer. Mr Holt said his client had several health conditions, including high blood pressure, asthma and a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Despite those submissions, the court refused bail. The matter was adjourned to 14 December 2026 at Batemans Bay Local Court.
What is Strike Force Trawler?
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing NSW Police investigation into child sexual abuse and exploitation carried out through the internet and related telecommunications devices. It is run by the Child Exploitation Internet Unit within the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad.
According to NSW Police, the unit investigates online activity that may involve the sexual abuse or exploitation of children. The force has previously said that Strike Force Trawler investigations can involve detectives engaging online as part of their inquiries.
In this case, police said Strike Force Trawler detectives began investigating the online activities of the 68-year-old man in October 2026. The investigation led to the Moruya arrest and the search warrant executed at Congo.
What happens next in the case?
The next court date is 14 December 2026, when the matter is listed at Batemans Bay Local Court. No pleas were entered at the first appearance.
Because the charges are strictly indictable, as Mr Holt told the court, the case is expected to proceed through the higher court process rather than being finalised summarily in the Local Court. The precise path will depend on later procedural decisions, including whether the prosecution proceeds with the charges and whether the accused enters pleas.
Police have asked anyone with information that may assist investigations into the online grooming of children to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through its NSW website.
Background of the development
The development arises from an investigation launched by NSW Police in October 2026 into the alleged online activities of a 68-year-old man living on the state’s South Coast. Detectives from the Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit carried out the inquiry under Strike Force Trawler, the squad’s long-running operation targeting online child exploitation.
Police said the man was arrested in Moruya on 20 October 2026, while a search warrant was executed at a property in Congo and several items were seized. He was then taken to Batemans Bay Police Station and charged with alleged grooming and incitement offences.
The case reached the NSW Local Court on 21 October 2026, where the prosecution opposed bail and the defence raised the man’s personal circumstances and health conditions. The court refused bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations and concerns about community safety. The matter is due to return to Batemans Bay Local Court on 14 December 2026.
Prediction: How could this affect local families?
For parents, carers and community organisations in the Eurobodalla region, the case is likely to reinforce concerns about online safety and the importance of monitoring children’s digital communications. The allegations involve an alleged attempt to use online channels to contact an adult connected to a young child, which may prompt families to review privacy settings, discuss online risks with children, and report concerning approaches to police.
For local residents, the refusal of bail and the December court date mean the legal process will continue to attract attention in the Far South Coast community. The case may also increase awareness of Strike Force Trawler’s role in investigating alleged online grooming, potentially encouraging people with relevant information to contact Crime Stoppers.
For the accused and his legal representatives, the immediate effect is continued custody ahead of the next hearing. The case will now depend on the evidence presented by police and prosecutors, with no findings of guilt having been made at this stage.
