Cranbrook gardener charged over alleged child abuse material

A gardener at Sydney’s elite Cranbrook School has been charged over allegations of possessing child abuse material.

Edward Charles Reynolds Warnes, 28, was arrested at an address in Rydalmere on Thursday by specialist investigators from the Australian Federal Police’s Eastern Command Child Protection Operations. Investigators say they received two reports from the US’ National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children about child abuse material being uploaded online.

“Investigators allegedly linked the online account activity to a 28-year-old Sydney man,” the AFP said in a statement.

Detectives seized electronic devices from the property “that allegedly contained child abuse material depicting real children and animated children”.

Warnes has been a landscaper at Cranbrook School since February this year, head of school Dr Anne Johnstone said in correspondence on Friday, obtained by this masthead.

“I am writing to advise you that a horticultural assistant employed by Green by Nature, which has the contract for Cranbrook’s garden maintenance, was arrested yesterday and has been charged with possessing child abuse material.

“Cranbrook is not part of the police investigation. We understand there is no evidence to suggest that this matter relates to any of our students.”

Warnes’ working with children check has been suspended, she said, and he cannot work in any school environment.

“Cranbrook remains strongly committed to a child safe environment.”

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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