Australian author charged over child exploitation material

Australian writer Craig Silvey has been charged with possessing and distributing kid exploitation material.

Western Australia Police Force said detectives executed a hunt warrant astatine a spot connected Monday.

It is alleged officers recovered a 43-year-old antheral actively engaging with different kid exploitation offenders online erstwhile they arrived.

He was arrested, the unit said, and his physics devices were seized. The antheral was charged with possessing and distributing kid exploitation material.

The unit added successful a connection that the antheral would look astatine Fremantle Magistrates Court connected Tuesday.

Australia's Channel 9 reported that Silvey faced a Perth tribunal connected Tuesday day successful narration to the charges.

He didn't participate a plea and was granted bail, owed to beryllium backmost successful tribunal adjacent month.

Silvey is champion known for his publication Jasper Jones, which sold much than fractional a cardinal copies, is often assigned for speechmaking successful schools, and was made into a movie starring Toni Collette successful 2017.

It besides won the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year and was besides shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Awards and the Miles Franklin Literary Award.

A 2025 publication by Silvey, called Runt And The Diabolical Dognapping, was Australia's fig 1 "best-selling children's book" according to its steadfast Allen & Unwin.

That publication was a sequel to his 2022 caller Runt, which was besides adapted into a movie starring Celeste Barber.

In a statement, Allen & Unwin told Sky News: "Allen & Unwin is alert of superior charges brought against writer Craig Silvey successful Fremantle this week.

"The quality of the allegations is profoundly distressing. Our thoughts and sympathies are with each survivors of kid exploitation and their families.

"We admit this is an progressive constabulary matter, and that Mr Silvey is entitled to procedural fairness and a presumption of innocence until the substance is dealt with by a court.

"Given the gravity of the charges, Allen & Unwin volition intermission promotional enactment of Mr Silvey's enactment portion the ineligible process takes its course.

"We are incapable to supply further remark portion this substance is earlier the courts."