Alleged livestream child abuser Richard Roy hit with new charges

Richard James Roy, 57, spent about seven weeks behind bars on remand after being arrested in January.

The Kambah man was initially charged with using a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a child, entering a not guilty plea at his first court appearance.

He did not enter pleas on that occasion to two counts of possessing child abuse material.

According to documents tendered in court at the time, police officers who searched Mr Roy's home found an expansion drive containing "dozens of video and image files depicting young children in various states of undress".

The drive also allegedly held a 37-second "livestream" video filmed in July 2017.

That clip was said to show Mr Roy masturbating while using a platform called Chatrandom to watch "live" child abuse material that depicted a prepubescent girl performing a solo sex act in view of a webcam.

Investigators also claimed to have found a notebook that contained a number of phrases commonly associated with child abuse material searches in the 57-year-old's bedroom drawers.

Authorities indicated in January that further analysis would need to be carried out on a number of seized electronic devices, with further charges expected.

That prediction rang true on Thursday when Mr Roy, who was granted bail in March, made his most recent appearance in the ACT Magistrates Court.

Commonwealth prosecutor Imogen Thomas told the court 11 new charges had now been laid against the man.

Few details of the latest allegations were given, but a court list shows they include multiple counts of using a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Defence lawyer Sinead Allen requested a four-week adjournment, which Magistrate James Stewart granted, in order to consider the new charges.

Mr Roy is due to appear in court again on June 24.

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