CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses child sexual abuse.
Australian author Craig Silvey has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material.
The award-winning writer was initially charged in January after police raided his home and seized electronic devices, prompting some bookstores to remove his titles from shelves.
Appearing at Fremantle Magistrates Court on Tuesday, the father-of-three pleaded guilty to two charges linked to offences earlier this year.
Two additional charges against Silvey were dropped, including one alleging he produced child exploitation material over several months in 2022.
The charges Silvey pleaded guilty to relate to possessing and distributing child exploitation material. He declined to comment to media as he left court and is scheduled to appear next in the District Court on July 3, with bail continued.
Best known for Jasper Jones — later adapted into a feature film — Craig Silvey also earned acclaim for works including Rhubarb, Honeybee and Runt, the latter of which was also adapted for the screen.
His books have been widely studied in school English classes, though WA Education Minister Sabine Winton later directed schools to stop using his texts while the matter was under investigation.
“I have asked the Department of Education to ensure that schools cease using texts by Craig Silvey for the 2026 school year while the allegations are under investigation,” Winton previously said.
“Some students may have studied these texts in previous years. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority will not penalise Year 12 students who may refer to these texts in the 2026 ATAR Literature course examination.”
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority said it was up to state and territory education authorities “to make decisions about the selection of texts in their teaching and learning programs”.
Publishers Allen & Unwin and Fremantle Press, which released Rhubarb, halted promotion of Silvey’s books after the initial charges were laid, with many of his titles subsequently removed from reading lists nationwide.
Help is available.
If you’d like to report abuse, you can contact the police or reach out to the Australian eSafety Commissioner here.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
The post Author Craig Silvey Pleads Guilty To Possessing & Distributing Child Exploitation Material appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
