Accused pedophile given bail after dramatic airport arrest

A Gold Coast grandfather accused of grooming young girls on Facebook for sex overseas has been granted bail.

Rex George Harrison was nabbed by Australian Federal Police at Brisbane Airport on Thursday just as he was about to fly to the Philippines.

AFP Commander Lesa Gale said the 63-year-old was talking a girl aged under 16 on Facebook ‘in an attempt to engage in sexual activity with her and other children’.

‘There are offenders who seek to use the anonymity of the internet to identify and target vulnerable children,’ she said.

Harrison was granted bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court under strict conditions including living at house in Loganlea on the Gold Coast.

Harrison was nabbed by AFP officers at Brisbane Airport on Thursday just as he was about to fly to the Philippines to meet an underage girl he allegedly groomed for sex

He told police he believed his alleged victim was 18, despite her referring to being in school 

The 63-year-old  was granted strict conditional bail on Friday, and must abide by rules including living at house in Loganlea on the Gold Coast 

The accused paedophile was spotted leaving the Brisbane Police Watch House after being granted bail.

Dressed in jeans and a blue striped t-shirt with colourful tattoos lining both arms, he looked nervous as he exited the premises.

He wheeled a suitcase behind him and clutched a piece of paper as he waited outside the building on Friday afternoon.

He told officers he believed his alleged victim was over 18, despite her referring to being in school in their online conversations, the court heard.

Commonwealth prosecutor Sophie Harburg said the father-of-three was an Australian citizen but did not live in the country.

He will face court again on October 27 facing up to 12 years behind bars. 

 Harrison will face 12 years in prison, and will front court again at the end of October 2017