Overweight man accused of ‘sexualised’ conversations with child and arrest on Coffs Harbour beach

A man accused of grooming an underage girl online has been arrested following a two-year investigation.

Wearing a Hawaiian shirt and black-out glasses, the 37-year-old was apprehended by strike force detectives at a beach at Coffs Harbour, in northern New South Wales, on Friday. 

The man is accused of communicating with what he believed was an underage girl and later made arrangements to meet the child in person. 

A middle-aged man accused of grooming a underage girl online has been dramatically arrested following a two-year investigation

Wearing a Hawaiian shirt and black-out glasses, the 37-year-old was apprehended by strike force detectives at a beach at Coffs Harbour on Friday

In dramatic footage released by New South Wales Police, the accused appears suprised when he is handcuffed by waiting authorities during the sting. 

Investigators then seized three mobile phones and a computer tablet from the man in a search of his vehicle. 

A raid on his home was conducted after the arrest where ammunition, computers and electronic storage devices was taken as potential evidence.  

The sting follows an operation by detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit which began earlier this year.

However, the initial investigation was launched long before by Victoria Police’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, which began in 2016. 

Highly-sexualised conversations with the apparently underage girl were said to be the main cause for concern during the man’s online exchanges. 

The man was ultimately charged with two counts of use carriage service to procure person under 16 years for sex and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station. 

He was later refused bail and is expected to face Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday. 

He was later refused bail and is expected to face Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday