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Author Craig Silvey faces child exploitation material charges
Australian novelist Craig Silvey, celebrated for the modern classic Jasper Jones, appeared in court on Tuesday accused of possessing and sharing child exploitation material.
Arrest and allegations
Western Australia Police arrested Silvey, 43, at his Perth home on Monday after an investigation revealed he was allegedly communicating with other offenders online at the time of the raid.
Officers seized electronic devices during the search and charged him with possession and distribution offences. He was released on bail following a brief hearing at Fremantle Magistrates Court and did not enter a plea.
Literary career and public impact
Silvey rose to prominence with Jasper Jones, a 2009 novel set in a fictional Western Australian town. The book has sold over 500,000 copies, is widely taught in Australian schools, and was adapted into a 2017 film starring Toni Collette and Hugo Weaving.
The novel earned the Australian Book Industry Awards' Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award and the Miles Franklin Literary Award.
His more recent works include Runt (2022), which was also adapted for screen starring Celeste Barber, and its sequel, Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping, released in late 2025 and topping Australia's children's bestseller lists.
Next court appearance
Silvey is scheduled to return to court on 10 February. No further details about the investigation have been disclosed by police.
