HIV-positive pedophile Jadd William Brooker is Australia’s worst child-sex predator after admitting to 189 charges
This HIV-positive pedophile has made history by confessing to 189 vile crimes. One victim took his own life, and prosecutors are expected to seek a “life without parole” order.
Police & Courts
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HIV-positive pedophile Jadd William Brooker will plead guilty to 138 more crimes against children – making him the worst child-sex offender in Australian history.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, Brooker’s counsel said their client wanted to confess to all but four of a horrifying list of perverted and predatory offences.
With that indication, Brooker has admitted a total of 189 offences – a case far larger than any other sex crime previously heard by this country’s courts.
Tim Clarke, for Brooker, told the court he was ready to finalise the case.
“This was next listed for court in November, but I’ve asked it be called on for pleas,” he said.
“My client would like Your Honour to record guilty pleas to all counts except for four.
“It’s proposed that if the court takes those pleas, and we have spoken to prosecution about this, a copy of the information will be sent to my client so that he can sign it, rather than all charges being read out.”
It will fall to the District Court to sentence the former logistics manager for crimes committed, both in person and online, against children and teenagers around the world.
Prosecutors are expected to argue Brooker is unwilling to or incapable of controlling his sexual instincts, and seek to have him detained indefinitely.
If that application succeeds, he would – thanks to legal reform brought about by an Advertiser campaign – spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole.
That would place Brooker in the same class of sex criminal as predatory kidnapper Colin Charles Humphreys and murderous rapist Mark Errin Rust.
Brooker’s only chance of release would be convincing two mental health experts he had rehabilitated and no longer posed a risk to children.
His penalty would therefore outstrip even that of another infamous SA pedophile – Ruecha Tokputza, known as “the child collector”.
In 2019, Tokputza was jailed for 40 years with a non-parole period of 28 years after pleading guilty to 51 charges.
Both Tokputza and Brooker were brought down by SA’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, a partnership between SA Police and Australian Federal Police.
JADD WILLIAM BROOKER’S CHARGES
Communicate To Make Child Amenable To Sexual Activity (Basic Offence) x 107
Adult, Maintain Unlawful Sexual Relationship With Child x 3
Persistent Sexual Exploitation Of A Child x 2
Disseminate Child Exploitation Material (Aggravated Offence) x 36
Disseminate Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 21
Obtain Access To Child Exploitation Material (Aggravated Offence) x 8
Obtain Access To Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 6
Produce Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 2
Possess Child Exploitation Material (Aggravated Offence) x 4
Possess Child Exploitation Material (Basic Offence) x 4
– Source: District and Magistrates Court registries
Brooker, 39, of Glenelg East, was arrested last year – the number and severity of the charges against him has been steadily increasing ever since.
On Monday, Mr Clarke told the court he was still seeking negotiations on the four remaining counts with prosecutors.
Those counts relate to alleged online offending – the age of the children involved remains in dispute, which determines how severe an eventual penalty would be.
Brooker’s arrest was sparked by an online conversation with barista Michael Drennan, in which Brooker expressed his intention to infect adults and children with HIV.
Drennan was subsequently jailed for two years – Brooker, meanwhile, filmed himself acting on his intent.
His actions were so vile, a detective gave sworn evidence they were “the worst and most degrading” he had investigated in his 14-year career.
One of Brooker’s victims took his own life after learning his abuser was HIV-positive, while others continue to be tested to see if they have contracted the virus.
After his arrest, Brooker was caught red-handed asking family members to delete his computer data and cloud storage – information that exposed a large pedophile ring.
Former SA Labor political adviser Benjamin John Waters is awaiting sentence for his role in that ring, while several other men have been charged and are before the courts.
On Monday, prosecutors agreed with Mr Clarke’s proposal to record guilty pleas but Magistrate Simon Smart did not.
He said he was not prepared to accept the proposal without written and signed guilty pleas, or all charges being read out in court.
Mr Clarke insisted the court record show his client’s pleas had been indicated – early guilty pleas attract a sentencing discount.
Mr Smart remanded Brooker in custody to face court again in November.
TIMELINE
August 2020: Michael Drennan, a barista, uses WhatsApp to discuss and swap child abuse material with other men. The conversations are intercepted by JACET detectives and Drennan is arrested. Analysis leads detectives to logistics manager Jadd William Brooker.
September 3, 2020: Brooker makes his first court appearance following his arrest. Court papers allege he wanted to infect children and adults with HIV.
September 9, 2020: A magistrate releases Brooker on bail despite allegations he asked his mother to delete his online accounts. Prosecutors file an appeal.
September 11, 2020: The Supreme Court overturns Brooker’s bail after prosecutors file 38 new charges and reveal he has filmed himself abusing teenagers.
October 30, 2020: Brooker pleads guilty to seven of the 44 charges filed to that point, just ahead of new laws slashing sentencing discounts for early confessions.
March 31, 2021: Investigations into Brooker’s online data spark the arrests of SA Labor political adviser Benjamin John Waters and a Correctional Services officer.
April 7, 2021: The Advertiser reveals police are poised to charge Brooker with 100 more offences.
April 12, 2021: The Correctional Services officer abandons his bid for a suppression order and can be identified as Stewart Iain Berry.
April 20, 2021: Waters is released on bail.
May 4, 2021: Brooker has his case called on early so he can plead guilty to 32 more offences from the original allegations.
May 20, 2021: Berry is released on bail. He has yet to enter pleas to charges of indecent filming, possessing and disseminating child abuse material.
May 26, 2021: Another man is arrested and charged with producing child exploitation material, arising from the Berry and Waters investigations. He has yet to enter pleas.
June 30, 2021: Prosecutors drop two of the remaining charges against Brooker.
July 12, 2021: Waters pleads guilty to downloading and transmitting child abuse material and is remanded for sentencing by the District Court.
July 14, 2021: Drennan receives a two-year prison term for child abuse offending.
July 15, 2021: Brooker pleads guilty to the remaining charges from the original allegations, and is remanded for sentencing by the District Court.
July 17, 2020: The Advertiser reveals the connection between Brooker, Drennan, Waters and the other alleged offenders.
July 20, 2021: Leon Ronald Scarffe is arrested following investigations into Brooker’s data. He is charged with sexually abusing children, blackmailing them and sharing abuse material online.
September 8, 2021: Just over 12 months since his arrest, Brooker is rearrested and charged with a further 142 offences arising from continuing police investigations.
September 10, 2021: Brooker and Waters face the District Court – in separate hearings – to set dates for sentencing submissions.
September 25, 2021: Scarffe pleads not guilty to 25 child abuse and blackmail offences, and is remanded in custody to stand trial in the District Court.
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