Craig Silvey jailed for seven months over abuse material

Australian author Craig Silvey has been sentenced to seven months in jail.

It comes after he pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material.

Silvey has written several acclaimed books, including ‘Honeybee’ and ‘Jasper Jones’.

The author was arrested and charged in January.

Background

On 12 January, WA Police raided a man’s home, catching him allegedly actively engaging with child exploitation offenders online.

He was charged with possession and distribution of child exploitation material.

Silvey was widely named as the alleged offender by multiple media outlets, and faced Fremantle Magistrates’ Court on 13 January, where he was granted bail.

Another charge of producing child exploitation material was laid and then dropped earlier this year.

Verdict

A WA judge found Silvey possessed the most serious kind of child sexual abuse material.

Judge Hayley Cormann said Silvey engaged in “repeated discussions” online that sexualised children.

“This offending involves children and it is destructive and it is devastating,” she said.

Cormann said she accepted that Silvey had pleaded guilty and was ashamed by his conduct.

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