South Australian child sex offenders or groomers to go through court so far in 2022
From deviant paedophiles preying on the vulnerable to Adelaide teachers leading sinister double lives, we reveal some of the state’s worst child sex offenders or groomers.
North & North East
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They come from all walks of life – school teachers, fathers, trusted community members – but these perverts have all preyed on our most innocent with devious crimes.
With 2312 convicted child sex offenders currently subject to reporting obligations in South Australia and dark web platforms significantly increasing, child abusers have more opportunities than ever to prey on the vulnerable.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Lambert, officer in charge of Special Crimes Investigation Section, said children were accessing the internet at a very young age, often unsupervised and spend long hours using electronic devices.
“There is a normalisation of sexual behaviour online which is also changing young people’s attitude towards sharing explicit content with each other,” he said.
“An ‘online groomer’ who has gained the trust of the child by pretending to be a peer and using fake identities, can quickly gain exploitative imagery by manipulation, and move to further exploiting and blackmailing the victim.”
Insp Lambert said law enforcement officers across the world had a presence online to identify and track offenders.
“Law enforcement agencies remain at the forefront of technology to gain any advantage, networking across the world to enhance the abilities to identify child victims,” he said.
Insp Lambert said children could stay safe online by only accepting ‘friend’ requests from people they know in real life, avoiding sharing private information and never agreeing to meet someone they’ve only known online on their own.
A report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed the number of sexual assault victims increased by 17 per cent to 3564 victims in 2021, the highest recorded in the 29 year time series.
Almost 50 per cent or 875 of all sexual assault victims were aged under 18 years at the time of the offence and 82 per cent or 1466 victims knew their offenders.
Here are the evil faces of SA’s child sex offenders and groomers who have gone through court in 2022.
Dwayne Murphy
A Headspace counsellor who groomed a girl he met while working as a receptionist for the organisation was jailed for 10 months.
Dwayne Gwydion Murphy, 34, was arrested at the Headspace offices in Port Pirie after his offending came to light.
Judge Paul Slattery said Murphy met the 14-year-old while working in a different state.
He was aware she was homeless and had a troubled background.
Murphy later moved to Port Pirie but stayed in touch with the teenager over the online chat application Discord.
In the early hours of November 27, 2020, the victim sent a photo to a Discord chat group of herself.
Murphy messaged her saying she looked “hot”.
Between 1am and 4am the pair exchanged increasingly sexualised messages which included him saying that he “enjoyed the daddy little girl thing a little”.
“You told the victim you would have sex with her when she turned 18 years of age and that ‘it might be wise to delete this conversation. If anyone gets hold of this we could get in trouble. That doesn’t delete anything we’ve talked about of course’,” Judge Slattery said.
Murphy was arrested on February 4, 2021 and his phone was seized.
He pleaded guilty to communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity.
Murphy was sentenced to ten months and 24 days in prison.
Trevor Hunt
A predator sent disturbing photos to a “14-year-old girl” then viciously attacked his partner’s daughter after being released on bail.
Trevor Aaron Hunt, 45, committed the terrifying assault on the eight-year-old, despite not being allowed to have contact with children.
The Adelaide District Court heard Hunt communicated with someone he believed was a girl on Facebook and Kik in November, 2019.
“In fact, it was an undercover police officer,” Judge Julie McIntyre said during sentencing.
“You sent numerous pornographic images and made several invitations to a person you thought was a 14-year-old to engage in sexual activity.”
Hunt was arrested and released on bail, with conditions to not have communication with anybody under the age of 18.
Despite this, he began living with his partner who had two young children.
The court heard Hunt’s partner’s eight-year-old daughter started crying at Port Augusta West on September 12, 2020.
“You became angry and hit her with a leather belt that had a metal buckle attached,” Judge McIntyre said.
The victim suffered several serious welts on her body as a result of the attack.
Hunt, of Stirling North, pleaded guilty to two counts of communicating with the intention of making a child amenable to sexual activity and assault causing harm.
Judge McIntyre sentenced Hunt to three years and 10 months, with a non-parole period of three years and one month.
The sentence was backdated to December 11, 2020.
Tobias Tymerski
A predator was only thinking of his own happiness when he indecently assaulted a 13-year-old girl in public toilets.
Tobias Luke Tymerski, 21, left a child with recurring nightmares after taking advantage of her vulnerability to meet his own emotional needs.
The Adelaide District Court heard Tymerski had added the victim on Snapchat a few days earlier before he saw her at Port Pirie McDonalds on December 6, 2020.
He sat next to her and put his hand on her thigh.
The victim then went to the Memorial Oval toilets.
“Whilst in the toilet block, you grabbed (the victim) by her waist and moved your hands over her breasts, thighs and buttocks,” Judge Paul Slattery said during sentencing.
Tymerski also kissed the victim and attempted to unbutton her jeans.
The victim who was feeling “immensely uncomfortable” pushed Tymerski away and ran out.
Tymerski, of Whyalla Norrie, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault.
He breached a two-year good behaviour bond with the offending.
The court heard Tymerski was convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse in February 2020 and received a suspended jail sentence.
Judge Slattery revoked Tymerski’s suspended sentence bond and sentenced him to three years and three months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and eleven months.
The sentence was backdated to December 7, 2020.
Benjamin Clarke
A predator who believed he was chatting to a 13-year-old girl online said hooking up with her would be worth going to jail for.
Benjamin James Clarke, 38, told a psychologist he had no interest in having sex with children, despite sending one vile videos.
The Adelaide District Court heard Clarke began communicating with an undercover police officer on Kik in December 2019.
The court heard the officer told Clarke she was 13 while Clarke told her he was 30 and suggested that they could hang out so he could find out if she was a good kisser.
The officer contacted Clarke on January 4, 2020 and asked what he was doing.
“You told her she was welcome to come to your place to hang out,” Judge Schammer said during sentencing.
“You told her that you could go to jail for hooking up with her because she was so young but that it would be worth it.”
Clarke then sent the undercover officer a sexually explicit video on January 6, 2020 and discussed meeting up with her on the weekend.
Police attended Clarke’s house on January 30, 2020 and seized his phone.
They found a conversation between Clarke had sent another Kik user, who identified herself as 14, sexually explicit photographs and engaged in sexualised conversation with her.
Clarke, of Salisbury Park, pleaded guilty to two counts of communicating with the intention of making a child amenable to sexual activity and possessing and disseminating child exploitation material.
Judge Schammer sentenced Clarke to two years and two months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and eight months.
Naracoorte man
A 28-year-old man forced a young girl who viewed him as a “father figure” to keep his sickening assaults a secret for over a year.
The man, who cannot be identified to protect his victim, was jailed for 10 years in the Adelaide District Court after denying responsibility for his vile actions.
The court heard the victim was the daughter of the man’s partner, who was aged between seven and nine during the offending.
The court heard the man sexually assaulted the victim more than 20 times while her mother was out of the house, working or asleep.
“She told you to stop but you wouldn’t. She asked you to do something else and you would say ‘No, that you must do this’,” Judge Geraldine Davison said during sentencing.
“You told the complainant not to tell her mother and she became fearful that you would hurt or kill her if you did so.
“She kept your secret for over a year.”
The Naracoorte man was found guilty at trial of maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child.
Judge Davison sentenced the man to 10 years jail, with a non-parole period of five years.
The sentence was backdated to February 3, 2022.
Jonathon Henke
A paedophile was arrested by police in a hotel room, after he bargained with a person he believed was a mother, to have sex with her eight-year-old child.
Jonathon David Henke, 46, had an extraordinary lie to tell police when he was caught red-handed in a hotel room waiting.
The Adelaide District Court heard Henke posted an advertisement on a website called ChaosAds on October 2, 2020.
“The advertisement was titled ‘male looking for mother and very young daughter’,” Judge Adam Kimber said during sentencing.
Police saw the advertisement and contacted Henke on the mobile number he provided.
“The undercover officer pretended to be a 37-year-old mother of two young girls, aged five and eight,” Judge Kimber said.
Henke sent a series of disturbing messages about the eight-year-old and offered to pay $500 to engage in sexual activity with her.
The court heard Henke booked a hotel room where he could have sex with the child and asked the woman to bring child exploitation material.
Henke arrived at the hotel room on October 23, 2020 and brought condoms and lubricant with him.
Police arrived and arrested Henke.
“You lied to the police and said you had gone along with the communications with the intention of reporting to the police the person with whom you are communicating,” Judge Kimber said.
Henke was also found with child exploitation material.
The Nuriootpa man pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material and procuring a child for sexual activity.
Judge Kimber sentenced Henke to five years and eight months jail, with a non-parole period of three years and six months.
The sentence was backdated to October 23, 2020.
Fullarton man
An “utterly wicked” father who told an undercover officer he didn’t regret sexually abusing his daughter had further sinister plans.
The 50-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, plotted to knock out a woman in a carpark and steal her baby so he could continue his vile fantasies.
The Adelaide District Court heard the victim was the man’s biological daughter and the “depraved” offending started when she was just two years old.
The court heard an undercover police officer was allocated in April 2020 to investigate the man’s conduct.
The undercover officer posed as a 37-year-old woman and posted an advertisement insinuating an interest in taboo sexual activity, which the man replied to.
“You conversed with the undercover operative about the prospect of you and the operative having a child together in order that you could abuse that child.” Judge Anthony Allen said during sentencing.
The man also sent the undercover police the following message: “We need a baby to play with. Know anyone that has a baby? That’s tricky offering a babysitting service. Stealing a baby? Carpark, it’s extreme but we’re considering it. Find a woman alone in a carpark, knock her out and take the baby”.
“I take your communications to mean that you were discussing the abduction of a child to sexually abuse the child,” Judge Allen said.
When police arrested the man on May 26, 2020, they found 66 child exploitation files on his devices.
The Fullarton man pleaded guilty to maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child and multiple counts of producing and disseminating child exploitation material.
Judge Allen sentenced the man to 14 years in jail, with a non-parole period of 11 years and two months.
The sentence was backdated to May 26, 2020.
Rowan Varnish
A paedophile who lied about his age to have sex with a 13-year-old continued with his predatory actions even after being confronted by her mother.
Rowan Varnish, 33, was jailed in the Adelaide District Court for preying on a child’s youth.
The court heard Varnish met the victim through a social media application called Wink in November 2020 and began communicating with her on Snapchat.
The victim, who was aged 13, told Varnish she was 16.
“You, however, told the complainant that you were 18, turning 19, when you were in fact 32 years old,” Judge Ian Press said during sentencing.
The court heard Varnish and the victim met up and had sexual intercourse on four occasions between December and January 2021.
“The first occasion of intercourse occurred after you had been confronted by the complainant’s mother and you were aware the complainant was 13 years of age,” Judge Press said.
“It was a few days after the complainant’s primary school graduation.”
The court heard Varnish drove the victim to a secluded location and had sex with her.
Varnish then engaged in sexual acts with the victim in a car, at a house and at his workplace on another occasion.
The Mawson Lakes man pleaded guilty to maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child.
Judge Press sentenced Varnish to six years and one month jail, with a non-parole period of three years and five months.
The sentence was backdated to September 10.
Mate Falanga
A pervert groomed two pre-teen girls with social media and in text messages, calling them “cutie” and “princess”, a court has heard. One of the victim’s parents has asked how dare he do this to anyone – especially a child.
Mate Falanga’s bail was revoked during a pre-sentence hearing in the District Court, ahead of being sentenced to an inevitable prison term.
He was arrested in January after a tip-off from NSW police.
Prosecutor Peter Cannell said Falanga had “groomed” each of his victims, sending “kisses and love hearts”, telling one girl she was “adorable” and calling both “cutie” and “princess” and asking to see images of one of the girls in different outfits.
At an earlier hearing, the court heard communication also occurred over Snapchat and Facetime and that Falanga had exposed himself during video calls.
He told one of the girls to delete their messages, which she did.
“The communications, in my submission, also shows that clearly the accused not only had a sexual interest in both victims but became sexually excited,” Mr Cannell said.
Mr Cannell said an analysis of his devices indicated he had also engaged in conversations with two other 13-year-old girls and had used the terms “daddy” and “pedo” in internet search terms.
Falanga pleaded guilty to aggravated charges of procuring a child for sexual activity and two aggravated counts of making a child amenable to sexual activity.
Falanga was remanded in custody. He returns to court in September for sentence.
Anthony Virgo
A teacher who went on to live an “impeccable life” lost everything after his sexual abuse of three students in the 1980s came to light.
Anthony Rex Virgo, 59, had his bail revoked in the Adelaide District Court after he used his position of trust to commit the ultimate act of betrayal.
The court heard Virgo preyed on the students between 1986-1988.
The McLaren Flat father pleaded guilty to three counts of persistent sexual exploitation of a child.
Michael Woods, for Virgo, told the court he started teaching at the end of 1985 and his first victim was a student while Virgo was working at Adelaide High School in 1986.
“He says she felt like a peer, not a student,” Mr Woods said.
“He thought the risk at that time was worth it, perhaps not appreciating the seriousness of it … and certainly not the consequences of it.”
Mr Woods said he didn’t believe the offending towards the first victim was predatory and the girl’s parents accepted Virgo into their family.
The court heard Virgo started working at another school in 1987 and met the second victim who was aged 16.
Mr Woods admitted that the third victim, who was 15 at the time of Virgo’s offending when he was almost 25, was the most serious.
Virgo will be sentenced in September.
Richard Squires
A judge is worried a child predator won’t be able to resist his future urges after he exploited a young boy for his own sexual gratification.
Richard Ian Squires, 40, used sickening tactics to lure in teenage boys for his own devious interests.
The Adelaide District Court heard Squires befriended the 15-year-old victim who was living in state care at the time.
The victim was couch surfing and would often stay the night at Squires’ Semaphore Park flat.
The victim was asleep on the couch in January, 2020 and woke up to Squires indecently assaulting him.
The victim slept over Squires’ again in February, 2020 and woke up to find his pants had been pulled down and Squires was having sex with him.
Squires abused him again in March, 2020.
The Magill man pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent assault.
Adding on a previous head sentence, Squires was sentenced to 11 years and four months jail, with a non-parole period of six years and eight months.
The sentence was backdated to May 28, 2021.
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