HIV-positive pedophile Jadd William Brooker jailed for 36 years with order to serve 29 years before becoming eligible for parole

The pedophile guilty of 182 “exceptionally grave” crimes against 96 children around the world will serve the second-longest sentence ever imposed in Australia.

HIV-positive sex offender pedophile syndicate leader Jadd William Brooker.

An HIV-positive pedophile syndicate leader’s 182 crimes against 96 children around the world deserve the second-longest sentence ever imposed in Australia for child sex offending, a court has ruled.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court jailed Jadd William Brooker for 36 years, ordering he serve 29 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Brooker’s term is only slightly shorter than that of fellow predator and “child collector” Ruecha Tokputza, who is serving 40 years behind bars.

In sentencing, Justice Adam Kimber said Brooker must be denounced for his “abhorrent, horrific” offending and others must be deterred from following in his footsteps.

“Your offending is exceptionally grave, the victims are almost too many to count,” he said.

“You contributed to the demand for child exploitation material, you participated in that market.

Brooker’s crimes spanned both online and in-person offending, across Australia and around the world.

Brooker and his syndicate were arrested by detectives from the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, a unit comprised of both AFP and SA Police investigators. Picture: Matt Loxton

“Child sex offending in any form is abhorrent, all of society is degraded by it.

“You have placed at risk the wellbeing and future potential of every victim.”

Outside court, one of Brooker’s victims – known as “BP” – said listening to Justice Kimber’s 90-minute sentencing was a debilitating experience.

“We were horrified, we were sick to our stomachs … I would dare say he is SA’s most notorious, prolific pedophile … he is a vile, vile man,” he said.

“He committed some of the worst (crimes) I’ve ever seen, and I helped put him away … it’s a closing point on everything, really.”

“I broke down in tears … some of the victims are no longer with us … their stories are unable to be told or heard, they are unable to speak for themselves.

“I hope that this is a life sentence for him and that he will never, never be able to get out and do more damage.”

Brooker, 41, pleaded guilty to 182 sexual abuse and exploitation charges following his arrest, in 2020, by SA’s elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team.

He had more than 20 victims across Australia and around the world – some of whom he tried to infect with HIV.

Brooker filmed himself in these attempts, prompting JACET to dub his crimes “the worst and most degrading” they had investigated up to that point.

He compiled 4.5 million images and 50,000 messages of child exploitation – which he asked family to delete following his arrest – as the centre of an online pedophile syndicate.

Brooker’s victims described him, in their statements to the court, as “an evil parasite” who “left a piece of himself” in every child whose innocence he destroyed.

The court also heard expert mental health evidence that his crimes could have escalated to trafficking babies and toddlers for sex had he not been apprehended.

Prosecutors urged the court to jail Brooker indefinitely as an uncontrollable predator, using laws created following a campaign by victim advocates and The Advertiser.

On Friday, Justice Kimber opted to set Brooker a non-parole period, but noted his prospects of rehabilitation were “guarded” at best and his risk of reoffending “particularly high”.

He said Brooker’s “horrific” offences spanned bestiality, necrophilia, scatological perversion and making one boy the subject of “a bidding war” between pedophiles.

It also involved the degrading abuse and torture of babies and toddlers, “power disparity”, “breaches of trust” and “exploitation of the most egregious fashion”.

Justice Kimber said that, if not for laws regarding harsh sentences, five of Brooker’s offences would have warranted a 40-year prison term on their own.

“Your pleas of guilty are the most significant factor in your favour – otherwise, there is very little that can be said that is positive … it’s overwhelmed by your prolific offending,” he said.

“You pose a grave risk to children and, if you are to reform, the journey will be a long one.”

Outside court, Commissioner for Victims’ Rights Sarah Quick said the sentence reflected the “significant harm” suffered by abuse survivors and their families.

“Nothing can erase the lifelong harm caused by this horrific and degrading offending … offenders such as Brooker destroy innocence and create countless victims,” she said.

“Hopefully the victims feel secure in the knowledge that this sentence will prevent Brooker from harming other children.”