Former wife of ex-RAAF intelligence officer and paedophile Jacob Donald Walsh tells SA court he has lied about family support

This pedophile told a court his ex-wife still supported him – now she’s told a judge the truth, leading to an unprecedented moment.

Former RAAF Sergeant Jacob Donald Walsh pleaded guilty to 230 child sex crimes. Picture: 7 NEWS

The ex-wife of Australia’s worst-ever sex offender has denounced him in court as a liar who falsely claimed she still supports him in order to gain mercy in sentencing.

In unprecedented scenes on Tuesday, prosecutors asked the District Court to correct the public record about former RAAF intelligence officer Jacob Donald Walsh on behalf of his estranged spouse.

Amy Fisher, prosecuting, said the former Mrs Walsh had contacted her after reading Walsh’s defence claims in The Advertiser in April.

She said Mrs Walsh had revealed new details about both her former husband and the psychological counselling that, he claims, shows he can rehabilitate.

“What really occurred is that her adult daughter – Walsh’s stepdaughter – had made allegations he was spying on her while she was in the bathroom,” Ms Fisher said.

“Mrs Walsh arranged a psychologist herself and demanded Walsh attend, going so far as to attend the session with him to ensure he was held accountable.

“That was the cause of the breakdown of the marriage, not the arrest for these matters.

“She is in no way supportive of Walsh, she does not wish to see him ever again and has moved herself and their son interstate to get further away from him.”

Walsh faced more child sex offending charges than any Australian in history. Picture: 7 NEWS

Walsh, 35, of Blakeview, pleaded guilty to 230 offences – the largest child abuse case filed, in Australian legal history, against a single person.

He used the identity “Jace Edwards” to send in excess of 1000 messages to his victims around the world.

Walsh pretended to be their boyfriend while amassing a collection of 11,000 videos and 141,000 photos of abuse, pressuring his victims to perform sex acts even while sick or injured.

In April, Walsh apologised for his crimes and pleaded for mercy, blaming internet addiction, military secrecy and autism.

His lawyer claimed there was “quite a correlation between autism and the inability to appreciate the total extent of the gravity of one’s offending”.

On Tuesday, Ms Fisher said Walsh’s ex-wife was “not aware of the full extent of his offending” and his claims in court had “caused her a great deal of distress”.

“This is all important with regard to Walsh’s prospects for rehabilitation, and what insight he has into his own shortcomings,” she said.

“It’s significant that attending this counselling is in no way demonstrative of any awareness or insight on his own part.”

Judge Joanne Tracey added: “And that attendance was for a different issue.”

She remanded Walsh in custody until next month.