An Australian teacher killed himself and another attempted suicide after they were caught up in a major police swoop on Internet child pornography, reports said yesterday.
The men were questioned by police as part of a crackdown on a global pornography racket which has seen more than 90 people charged in Australia, including four teachers and many others with access to children.
The Australian newspaper said a 59-year-old teacher from Queensland had committed suicide after being charged on two counts.
A 48-year-old primary school teacher, who had digitally superimposed the faces of his students onto the images, was taken to hospital late on Thursday after what was believed to be a suicide attempt, the paper said.
Queensland police confirmed that a man who had been charged as part of the operation had died, but would not comment on the cause of death.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday described the reach of the global child pornography racket as sickening after police said it included men of all ages and walks of life.
“This is enough to make your stomach turn when you look at the number of people, who by these reports, have been involved,” Rudd told Nine Network television.
A police officer, a junior sports coach and several people working with children were among those charged over child sex images published by a hacker on a European Web site six months ago.
Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said charges were laid against two more people late on Thursday.
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