Former political adviser Benjamin John Waters and HIV-positive predator Jadd William Brooker face court in SA over child abuse

An HIV+ predator and an ex-political adviser who swapped and shared child abuse material have faced court – and one says he’ll seek a home detention sentence.

Former political adviser Benjamin John Waters will seek a home detention sentence over his part in HIV-positive predator Jadd William Brooker’s child abuse syndicate, a court has heard.

Both Waters, 38, and Brooker, also 38, faced the District Court on Friday in separate arraignment hearings.

Michael Dadds, for Waters, asked the court to delay sentencing submissions until a series of reports about his client had been prepared.

“My client is consulting with a clinical psychiatrist, that’s been ongoing and it’s expected a report will be available by October,” he said.

Former SA Labor Party adviser Benjamin John Waters. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes.

“We also ask a progress report be ordered, from the Department for Correctional Services, in relation to his compliance with his home detention bail conditions.

“That may be useful for the court in due course.”

Prosecutors said they did not oppose the report being ordered, but warned it was “no indication” of their attitude toward a home detention sentence.

Waters – who was Labor MP Nat Cook’s adviser at the time of his arrest – has pleaded guilty to using the Telegram app to download and transmit child abuse material.

His arrest was triggered by investigations into Brooker, who has pleaded guilty to having committed 38 child abuse and child sex crimes over a six-year period.

Brooker was apprehended after SA’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) viewed his online conversations with fellow predator Michael Drennan.

Jadd William Brooker.

In those conversations, Brooker vowed to infect adults and children with HIV – Drennan has already been jailed for his role in the syndicate.

On Wednesday, JACET charged Brooker with a further 142 alleged offences – the most laid against a single defendant in Australian legal history.

On Friday, Tim Clarke, for Brooker, said those new charges warranted delaying his client’s case until the new charges had been heard in November.

“Having had discussions with the prosecution, I understand they arise from the same investigation into Brooker’s electronic devices,” he said.

“It’s therefore likely they will be relevant to how sentencing proceeds in this matter.”

Brooker was remanded in custody until December, while Waters was remanded on continuing bail to face sentencing submissions in November.