Sydney school gardener arrested on child abuse material charges
A gardener employed at Cranbrook School in Sydney was detained and charged with possessing child sexual abuse images after an Australian Federal Police investigation.
Australian Federal Police officers from the Eastern Command Child Protection Operations arrested 28-year-old Edward Charles Reynolds Warnes at a Rydalmere address on Thursday. The operation was triggered by two reports from the U.S. National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children that identified online material tied to a Sydney individual. Investigators confiscated electronic devices that reportedly contained child sexual abuse material involving real and animated children.
Warnes has been employed as a horticultural assistant for Green by Nature, the firm contracted to maintain Cranbrook School’s grounds, since February. Head of school Anne Johnstone said the school is not part of the police probe and there is no evidence linking the case to any student, while his child-safety clearance has been revoked. Crisis support is available through Lifeline.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing concerns about child exploitation and the need for rigorous background checks in school environments.
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