Police are notifying hundreds of individuals accused of sexual offenses that they are reviewing the work of a digital forensics officer based in Bendigo. This audit will cover the officer's work from June 2016 to August 2025 and could impact over 600 cases, including those related to child abuse and sexual offense materials.

Victoria Police's legal department has informed defense attorneys that their cases are part of this internal audit. A letter obtained by the media indicates that the forensics officer was employed at the Bendigo Multidisciplinary Centre Laboratory. The letter states that the officer's role involved the "search, seizure and preservation of digital evidence," primarily through the examination of devices linked to criminal activities.

The letter also mentioned that the devices involved will need to be re-extracted and analyzed. Additionally, it requested the adjournment of one court case due to the ongoing audit.

A defense lawyer from Bendigo, who chose to remain anonymous as he represents three affected clients, expressed deep concern over the situation. "A lot of cases involve children and people who have been sentenced to jail," he said. He noted that many defense attorneys in the area have been contacted regarding the audit.

"If the conduct of this person has affected cases that have been finalized, it's incredibly worrying," he added. "It's frustrating, too, for the victims, witnesses, and accused persons — particularly those in custody. We don't know the nature of the review. It's not been made clear."

The specifics of the allegations against the digital forensics officer have not been disclosed. Authorities, including Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police, and the Office of Public Prosecutions, have been approached for comments regarding the audit.