West Australian author Craig Silvey has been slapped with more criminal charges ahead of a court appearance on Monday in Fremantle.
The writer, 43, was arrested at his home in January after he was allegedly caught “actively engaging” with other child exploitation offenders online.
On Monday, WA Police has released a statement saying he was now also charged with two counts of producing child exploitation material and that, as part of their investigation, a 68-year-old woman from the northern Perth suburb of Marangaroo had also been charged.
“As part of the investigation, forensic analysis is being conducted on all electronic devices seized,” the statement read.
“During this analysis, a 68-year-old woman was identified as allegedly producing and distributing child exploitation material online with the man.”
The woman has been charged with two counts of producing child exploitation material, one count of distributing child exploitation material, and three counts of failing to comply with reporting obligations.
She was remanded in custody and will next appear in Joondalup Magistrates Court on April 2.
Silvey appeared in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Monday, where the court was told his new charges related to written material.
The author, best known for his 2009 novel Jasper Jones, was banned from accessing the internet as part of his bail conditions after police accused him of engaging in online conversations over several days in January, during which he allegedly expressed a sexual interest in children and distributed child exploitation material.
Silvey was eventually released on a $100,000 surety, but his lawyers went back to court days later asking to vary his conditions so he could access his phone and delete his social media accounts.
His bail conditions were extended on Monday, and his matter was adjourned to a further hearing in May.
Silvey’s publisher, Allen & Unwin, has halted promotion of his books as state education departments pull his novels from school bookshelves.
Education departments in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory have also instructed schools to remove Silvey’s catalogue.
Book stores around the country are also pulling Silvey’s books from their shelves, including major retailer Dymocks.
Silvey has been writing for more than 20 years, with Jasper Jones selling nearly 1 million copies worldwide.
His 2022 novel Runt collected a number of awards and was adapted into a feature film in 2024.
Sydney’s Belvoir Theatre Company has indefinitely paused work on its stage adaption of Runt, which was due to open in August.
The City of Subiaco, which runs the Craig Silvey Award for Young Writers, said the author would no longer be the award’s namesake.
with 9 News Perth
