Daniel Paul Hinde, 36, pleads for ‘merciful’ sentence as details of pedophile’s offending laid bare

An Adelaide bus driver horrible secret life was revealed when police came knocking in January – now he’s told a court he’s disgusted with himself.

A father-of-three has had the details of his “depraved” offending laid bare in court as his counsel pleaded for a “merciful” non-parole period.

On Monday, Judge Liesl Kudelka heard submissions in the case against bus driver Daniel Paul Hinde – to prepare to sentence him for his crimes.

The court heard Hinde, 36, from Blakeview, made “separate incursions into criminal activity” and committed a number of “depraved” offences online.

Hinde’s phone contained 1474 videos of offending against children he had saved between September 22, 2022, and November 3, 2023, via an online app.

“The age range of the children depicted were between infants and children aged about 15,” prosecution said.

Daniel Hinde, right, is arrested by JACET detectives and charged with child grooming and child abuse material offences. Picture: AFP

Daniel Hinde, right, is arrested by JACET detectives and charged with child grooming and child abuse material offences. Picture: AFP

The court heard an online messaging conversation between Hinde and another man included them sharing their sexual fantasies – which Hinde said “disgusted him the most”.

Commonwealth prosecutors said one offence related to online conversations with a 14-year-old girl dated back to 2014 and continued for more than 18 months – past her 16th birthday.

“These conversations were sexual in nature,” prosecutors said.

Hinde was arrested on January 16, 2024, by the elite joint police taskforce JACET.

Hinde plead guilty to the Commonwealth charges of using a carriage service to procure a person under 16 years to engage in sexual activity, using a carriage service to access and transmit child abuse material, accessing child abuse material and possessing or controlling child abuse material.

He entered his pleas to those offences in early February following his arrest in January – which Andrew Ey, for Hinde, said was before the brief of evidence, and a clear sign of remorse.

Mr Ey said he was looking for a “merciful non-parole period” because his client had “significant” remorse.

“He accepts the opinion of the doctor that he must have a sexual interest in children, and he accepts that himself and there is an internal struggle that he continues to battle with,” Mr Ey said.

“Because at the same time he is accepting that he had that interest, he is disgusted with himself as well … he is having difficulty coming to terms with that.”

Mr Ey said Hinde had “unsurprisingly” lost contact with his three children and wife.

“He knows that he has broken their trust significantly. He’s hopeful that one day, whether it be when they are adults, that he can reconcile the relationship.”

Mr Ey said his client was open to rehabilitation to “rid himself” of his interest in children and return to becoming a law-abiding citizen.

Judge Kudelka remanded Hinde in custody until August to be sentenced.