Queensland man charged with 596 child abuse offences allegedly groomed children online, police say | Queensland

A Queensland man charged with 596 child abuse offenses used fake identities online to groom and coerce children, mostly aged 7 to 15, in Australia and abroad, police said.

Ethan Mitch Burns-Dederer, 27, of Maryborough, who will appear in a Brisbane court on Thursday, was arrested in February 2025 and refused bail.

Police released information about the case on Thursday after spending the last 12 months trying to identify the alleged victims among 23,000 photos and videos stored on the man’s hard drive.

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259 child victims were identified in the investigation, codenamed Xray Wick. Police claim a total of 459 victims. Investigations were ongoing, including by interstate police and agencies abroad.

The man faces 244 charges of producing child abuse material for use through a carriage service, 163 charges of using a carriage service to procure persons under the age of 16, and 87 charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child while using a carriage service

Police said they would allege the man “was actively targeting children on social media and gaming platforms between 2018 and 2025.”

In the statement made by the Queensland police, it was said: “The police will claim that the man himself produced the child abuse material found on the electronic devices.”

“Police will also allege that the man created multiple online profiles, pretending to be both a man and a woman, and that child abuse material was collected by the attacker directly from victims through grooming and coercion.

“Police will also allege that the man recorded his interactions, meticulously saving images and videos into specific folders.”

Acting Chief Supt Denzil Clark, of Queensland Police’s state crime command, said the investigation required the coordinated efforts of child exploitation detectives, digital forensics experts, interstate and international police and the Australian Child Exploitation Centre.

“Due to the volume of images and videos of children on the alleged offender’s devices, the identification process required time, skill and commitment,” Clark said.

“This is an extremely worrying and disturbing crime. We are increasingly seeing children being groomed, coerced or threatened into sending and receiving sexual images of themselves, often through popular apps, games and social media sites.

“The trauma this causes to the child is very important.

“Our researchers will not stop and I urge parents and carers to continue to take active and ongoing measures to keep young people safe online.

• Crisis support service in Australia Lifeline 13 11 14. If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual assault, domestic violence or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit: www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000. International helplines can be reached at: www.befrienders.org. Stop Now! The helpline is 1800 011 800.