Jonathon David Henke booked a hotel room to have sex with an eight-year-old child

A predator made a ‘cold, financial transaction’ with a person he believed was a mother to have sex with her child. But it was someone else who showed up to the hotel room.

A paedophile feels “extreme shame and embarrassment” for bargaining with a person he believed was a mother, to have sex with her eight-year-old child.

Jonathon David Henke, 46, used a fake name on a website to prey on children for his own perverted interests.

The Adelaide District Court on Monday heard Henke started communicating with an undercover police officer pretending to be the mother of an eight-year-old child.

A prosecutor said the messages sent in October, 2020 at Nuriootpa were particularly disturbing and it was a relief no real child was involved.

“A lot of the messages between the officer and the defendant … he is trying to come to some agreement on price and bargaining as if the child is a piece of goods for sale,” the prosecutor said.

“It’s evident from the text messages the defendant is very much interested in children and has that pedophilic disorder.”

The court heard Henke booked a hotel room after making the “cold, financial transaction” with the mother.

Henke was also found with child exploitation material.

Jonathon David Henke booked a hotel room to have sex with an eight-year-old child. Picture: File

The Nuriootpa man pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material and procuring a child for sexual activity.

He has been in custody at Mount Gambier prison for 16 months.

James Marcus, for Henke, told the court he turned to alcohol to deal with the grief of losing his parents.

“At the time Mr Henke posted the advertisement on the website he says that he was drunk,” he said.

“However, it’s clear over the following 12 to 13 days there was active communication.”

The court heard Henke had previously worked in machinery roles.

Mr Marcus said Henke felt extreme shame and embarrassment for attempting to carry out his “deviant fantasy”.

“As a result of it his brother has effectively cut him off,” Mr Marcus said.

Judge Adam Kimber said it was a serious example of the charge.

“He plainly intended to go ahead with having sexual intercourse with an eight-year-old child,” he said.

“It was not some fantasy, it was something he was prepared to follow through on.”

Judge Kimber will sentence Henke next month.