Former New South Wales State of Origin representative Brett Finch had recently relaunched his media career post Rugby League with the Uncensored podcast hosted by himself under the YKTR umbrella and by making regular appearances on the Bloke In A Bar podcast, but was this morning charged by NSW police over an alleged transmission of child abuse material.

Finch has been charged with five counts of using a carriage service to transmit abusive material against children, and was one of eight men arrested by the Child Exploitation Internet Unit’s Strike Force Hank, who were probing an adult chat service notoriously used by men to organise the spreading of child abuse material.

Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty has since released a statement via the NSW Police on the situation and the events that will follow.

“We will allege that each of the men arrested by detectives over the past month expressed desires to engage in sexual activity with children, and in some cases, attempted to access child abuse material from other users of the service,” Detective Superintendent Doherty said.

BREAKING: Brett Finch arrested for allegedly sharing child abuse material on his mobile phone. https://t.co/JH5KL7Gs3l

— James Silver (@JamesSilver3) December 14, 2021

“Producing, disseminating or possessing child abuse material are serious offences, and detectives will continue to dismantle these types of operations, so children are free from harmful situations, exploitation, and abuse.”

Finch has been granted conditional bail and will appear at Sutherland Local Court on the 11th of January 2022 as Strike Force Hank continues their investigation into this matter.

The most recent charge against Finch is alleged to have occurred in January; however, Finch’s solicitor Paul McGirr has put out a statement via a News Corp article refuting these claims.

“And there’s no evidence from the police to suggest otherwise,” McGirr said.

“We don’t know who’s making those alleged comments. At this stage, it is a defended matter – there is nothing more I can add. All we have at this stage are scant details.

“It would be foolish for anyone to comment or pass judgement on Brett or the matter.”

The same News Corp article, written by Josh Hanrahan and Dean Ritchie, also states that it is understood Finch will fight the charges against him, but no official word has been given.