Bhuwani Prasad Khadka is first SA person charged with running a social media group for pedophiles, faces 20-year prison term

A Burton man has made state legal history as the first person charged with running an online service for child exploitation – and now faces 20 years’ jail.

Bhuwani Prasad Khadka outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

A Burton man is the first South Australian charged with the federal crime of running a social media group for child sex abusers – and now faces a 20-year prison term.

In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Commonwealth prosecutors upgraded the seriousness of their case against Bhuwani Prasad Khadka.

The 27-year-old is now charged with creating, developing, altering, maintaining, controlling or moderating an electronic service for child abuse material.

Court documents allege he started, then oversaw, a group on the Telegram app that existed solely for the purpose of swapping child abuse videos and photographs.

It is the first time the charge has been laid in SA’s courts and, because it is a federal offence, carries no sentencing discounts based on the timing of a plea.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.

Mr Khadka had already been charged with four child-sex charges following his arrest by the state’s elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, comprised of SA Police and AFP detectives.

He has yet to plead to using a carriage service to access, transmit, possess and control child abuse material.

Court documents allege those offences occurred “at Burton and elsewhere in the state” between July 14, 2022 and February 22, 2023.

Mr Khadka is the first SA person ever charged with new Federal offence of running a social media group for pedophiles. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Mr Khadka was scheduled to enter pleas to those existing charges on Wednesday.

Instead, he listened from the dock – aided by a Mali interpreter – as a Commonwealth prosecutors said the scope of his case had changed.

The prosecutor said the new charge, and the nature of the existing charges, meant Mr Khadka’s case could be finalised only by the District Court.

“These are matters that cannot be dealt with summarily, and some carry mandatory minimum terms under the Criminal Code Act,” he said.

“There is no discount applicable for the timing of a plea, because they are Commonwealth charges.”

Ursula Matson, for Mr Khadka, said she “did not oppose” the case being adjourned.

“I’m just putting on the record the fact that I’ve taken instructions from my client with regard to the pre-existing charges, but now there’s this new charge,” she said.

“We’ve not had an opportunity to negotiate with prosecutors about that charge and have yet to take instructions … it’s a very complicated matter.”

Magistrate Simon Smart agreed Ms Matson should “have the opportunity” to speak to her client “even though discounts don’t apply”.

He remanded Mr Khadka on continuing bail to face court again next month.