D Walden 
Daniel Joseph Hunter’s morning began just like any other day on Friday, January 29.
The 41-year-old left his parent’s home at Kirrawee, in Sydney’s south, travelled to his office in Kent Street, Sydney, ordered his normal drink from the cafe in the lobby and took the lift up to the 15th floor.
But unbeknown to Hunter, as he sat at his desk in the office of Credit Corp enjoying his coffee, Australian Federal Police were at his home forensically looking through his computers and mobile phones.
On them they allegedly found ‘horrendous videos and images’ of kids being abused.
Hunter faced court on Saturday and was refused bail, with his shocked elderly father telling that he had not spoken to his son.
The net closed in on Hunter after Australian authorities received a tip from the FBI in October 2020.
The AFP’s Operation Deadlock began investigating the office worker and on January 20 this year allegedly noticed he had shared child abuse material over the dark web.
He allegedly did the same thing again the next day, unaware police were observing.
Police allege that on January 28, Hunter shared material with two other people on at least three occasions.
After officers finally swooped on his home the next day, they arrested Hunter and he was walked out of his CBD office block in handcuffs.
Photos show the large man wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with food emojis on it and sporting a bizarre mohawk style haircut, standing next to the unmarked vehicle as police officers put evidence into the boot.
Employees at Hunter’s office were left shocked at his arrest but the company refused to comment when approached.
Hunter faced Central Local Court on Wednesday and made no application for bail.
He is charged with possessing or controlling child abuse material, using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, use a carriage service to transmit child abuse material and an aggravated offence of using a carriage service to transmit such material.
AFP acting commander Benjamin McQuillan said the children in the videos were unfortunately part of an ever constant stream of victims.
‘This investigation shows that the AFP and our international counterparts are working closely to tackle the rising global issue of child exploitation,’ he said.
‘No one country can combat this borderless crime alone, which is why our international partnerships are crucial for law enforcement to not only identify the individuals and groups producing and sharing this abhorrent material, but to remove these vulnerable children from further harm.’
Hunter will reappear in Central Local Court on March 31 and is facing a maximum 25 years imprisonment if convicted.
