Matthew David Cornish appeared before Armidale Local Court yesterday after being arrested in a city car park on Monday afternoon. 

His arrest came after investigators from the Sex Crimes Squad Child Exploitation Internet Unit received a tip-off from New Zealand authorities about a NSW man’s online activities. 

Detectives then conducted online conversations with a man who they allege was Cornish, where they posed as a 35-year-old woman with an 11-year-old daughter.

Police alleged a number of sexually explicit conversations took place in relation to child exploitation and that plans were made for a face-to-face meeting.

Cornish was arrested by detectives from the New England Local Area Command and the Child Exploitation Internet Unit at about 1.30pm on Monday.  Police alleged they seized a small amount of amphetamine from Cornish and took him to Armidale Police Station. 

A search warrant was carried out at the man’s home, where police allegedly seized seven unregistered firearms, ammunition, 12 kilograms of cannabis, computers and electronic storage devices. He has been charged with two sets of offences. 

The first set of offences included two counts of producing, disseminating or possessing child abuse material. 

The second set of offences included three counts of possessing a prohibited drug, supplying cannabis, possessing unregistered firearms including a prohibited pistol, possessing ammunition without a permit, possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit, cultivating a prohibited plant and dealing with property suspected proceeds of crime. 

Cornish did not enter a plea at his court appearance yesterday. He will face court again on October 23 via video-link from custody. Bail was not applied for and was formally refused.