Prominent privacy guru Simon Davies to face 18 child sex charges in Australia after global manhunt

A world expert on internet freedom has been extradited to Australia to stand trial accused of sexually abusing underage boys in the 1980s 

Simon Davies, 65, was arrested in The Netherlands after Interpol issued a global alert for his capture, and flown back to Sydney on Friday night.

He was charged with 18 child sex offences allegedly committed in Sydney between 1981 and 1987 after a 10-year investigation.

Four NSW police officers from Strike Force Boyd, party of the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad, flew to The Netherlands to bring Davies to Australia to face trial

He was charged with more than 18 child sex offences allegedly committed in Sydney between 1981 and 1987 after a 10-year investigation 

He is accused of sexually abusing dozens of homeless children while running the Homeless Children’s Association in Darlinghurst, in Sydney’s inner east.

It is understood some of the charges relate to a period in the 1980s when men allegedly paid workers at the homeless shelter for access to boys for sex. 

NSW Police detectives flew to The Netherlands to escort him top Australia and took him to Surry Hills Police Station where he faced Parramatta Local Court by video link on Saturday. 

He was denied bail on all 18 charges and remanded in custody to appear again on June 1.

Davies, a British citizen, is believed to deny all charges against him.

An Interpol ‘Red Notice’ was issued for Davies in 2017 and he was arrested two years later and held in custody in The Netherlands while Australian authorities worked on his extradition.

Four NSW officers flew to the The Netherlands a week ago to collect Davies.

Child abuse and sex crimes squad commander Detective Superintendent Stacey Maloney paid tribute to the bravery of sex assault victims.

Simon Davies, 65, is accused of sexually abusing dozens of homeless children while running the Homeless Children’s Association in Darlinghurst, in Sydney’s inner east, in the 1980s

‘I think the conversations that everyone is having around sexual violence in the community at the moment is important and just demonstrates the importance of reporting to police but certainly assuring we will take action and no-one is immune from the result of justice being served,’ she said.

‘It is a testament to the strength, bravery, and patience of the victims, together with the determination and dedication of police, that charges have now been laid in relation to these alleged crimes.’ 

Ms Mahoney said detectives worked tirelessly to ensure justice is served for the victims in these matters. 

‘This result could not have been achieved without the assistance and support of our interstate and international partner agencies – particularly the Dutch Police, Australian Federal Police and Attorney-General’s Department,’ she said.

‘This has been a complex and exhaustive investigation for police, who have spent nearly 10 years investigating these matters and a further 16 months navigating the extradition process.’

Davies (pictured right) has been a commentator, adviser and journalist on a range of technology issues over the last 20 years and claimed to have been voted one of the world’s most influential voices on internet freedoms

Davies has been a commentator, adviser and journalist on a range of technology issues over the last 20 years and claimed to have been voted one of the world’s most influential voices on internet freedoms. 

He became a high-profile figure in the privacy industry as well as his efforts to overturn Australia’s controversial national ID card proposal in the late 1980 

According to Davies’ website, he received numerous awards and relating to internet freedom and claimed to have spoken publicly thousands on privacy and appeared on ‘almost every major current affairs program and newspaper in the world’.