Australian author charged over child exploitation material

Australian author Craig Silvey has been charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material.

Western Australia Police Force said detectives executed a search warrant at a property on Monday. It is alleged officers found a 43-year-old man actively engaging with other child exploitation offenders online when they arrived.

He was arrested, the force said, and his electronic devices were seized. The man was charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material.

The force added in a statement that the man would appear at Fremantle Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Australia's Channel 9 reported that Silvey faced a Perth court on Tuesday afternoon in relation to the charges.

He didn't enter a plea and was granted bail, due to be back in court next month. Silvey is best known for his book Jasper Jones, which sold more than half a million copies, is often assigned for reading in schools, and was made into a film starring Toni Collette in 2017.

It also won the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year and was also shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Awards and the Miles Franklin Literary Award. A 2025 book by Silvey, called Runt And The Diabolical Dognapping, was Australia's number one "best-selling children's book" according to its publisher Allen & Unwin.

That book was a sequel to his 2022 novel Runt, which was also adapted into a film starring Celeste Barber. In a statement, Allen & Unwin told Sky News: "Allen & Unwin is aware of serious charges brought against author Craig Silvey in Fremantle this week.

"The nature of the allegations is deeply distressing. Our thoughts and sympathies are with all survivors of child exploitation and their families.

"We acknowledge this is an active police matter, and that Mr Silvey is entitled to procedural fairness and a presumption of innocence until the matter is dealt with by a court. "Given the gravity of the charges, Allen & Unwin will pause promotional activity of Mr Silvey's work while the legal process takes its course.

"We are unable to provide further comment while this matter is before the courts.".