Cappo Seafoods heir Marcus Cappo pleads guilty to child abuse crimes in various SA suburbs

The heir to a South Australian seafood empire has admitted to grooming young children in various suburbs around Adelaide.

The heir to the Cappo Seafoods empire has admitted to a chain of child sex crimes around several Adelaide suburbs, despite previously telling a court he wasn’t guilty.

On Tuesday, Marcus Carlo Cappo pleaded guilty to procuring children for sexual activities, possessing child exploitation material and communication with the intent of procuring a child to engage in sexual activity after previously telling the court he did not commit the crimes.

He conceded in the Adelaide Magistrates Court that between September 2021 and December 2022, he had travelled to various suburbs around Adelaide where he procured children for sexual activities.

Cappo, who is the great-grandson of the Cappo Seafoods founder, committed the crimes in several suburbs both north and west of Adelaide.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material, and did so knowing the child involved was under the age of 12-years-old.

Seafood heir Marcus Cappo has pleaded guilty to seven child abuse charges. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwardss

Prosecutors previously asked the court for an adjournment on similar charges because there were likely more allegations to come forward.

However, that request was refused and Cappo pleaded not guilty.

Having since pleaded guilty to similar crimes, prosecutors withdrew any outstanding charges.

Cappo Seafoods is a mainstay of the Adelaide Central Markets, and has operated since 1919 after the Cappo family migrated to Australia.

It was originally founded by six of the Cappo brothers in Port Pirie, with Marcus’ father Mathew Cappo now the director and third-generation owner of the company.

There is no suggestion Carlo or Matthew Cappo or Cappo Seafoods are involved in any of Marcus Cappo’s charges.

A single charge of procuring a child for sexual activity carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

Cappo was quiet as Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal listed his matter in the District Court for sentencing submissions in October.