Police officers, teachers, actors, musicians and more revealed on SA’s list of child sexual offenders for 2025

So you think a pedophile is the stereotypical creep in the corner? Think again. 2025’s class of infamy shows child sexual offenders come from all walks of life.

Two years ago, the elite federal and state police who rescue children from sexual abuse and exploitation warned the community against complacency, saying the crime had changed.

“There’s no child sex offender persona, it’s literally anyone and everyone,” Detective Senior Constable Jordan Dowling, from the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, said.

“They are walking among us, you couldn’t pick them in a crowd, it’s not the creepy old guy in the corner like we thought years ago.

“It’s common for offenders to place themselves in situations where they can increase their access to children, they volunteer in groups, sporting organisations, in religious groups.

“They deliberately place themselves in those positions for the purpose of getting access to children – and they don’t just groom kids.

“They groom adults around them and that provides a level of comfort to parents and caregivers that they’re fine but, really, they’re evil.”

Megan Skye Blancada. Picture: File

Rachel Queen Burton. Picture: File

Today, The Advertiser publishes its third annual database of convicted child sexual offenders – and the data more than supports Detective Senior Constable Dowling’s analysis.

Despite the diligence of reporters, the list represents a mere fraction of the number of child sexual abuse cases in SA’s courts every day.

Statistics compiled by Websters Lawyers show that, on no less than six separate days in 2025, more than one third of all matters in court were related to child sexual allegations.

That number peaked at 51.85 per cent of all cases on January 28 – up from 2024’s high of 42.1 per cent.

The Advertiser’s list is, therefore, comprised of far more than creepy old guys in corners.

It includes two SA Police officers – one of whom was serving at the time of his offending – multiple teachers, a sound engineer and a somewhat-famous DJ and rapper.

It also includes an offender with perhaps the most bizarre defence claim ever heard, involving cannibals from Papua New Guinea, a devoured ex-wife and organ-harvesting “chop shops”.

Five of the people on this year’s list are women, including an actor, model and author who said “there’s only so long you can have sympathy for the victim” as she was jailed.

And one of the convicted offenders is a transgender woman who still refuses to accept the verdict of the court, and whose victims fear retaliation upon their release from custody.

Simon Gorzechowski. Picture: File

Caleb “Little Devil” Vercher. Picture: File

Like its predecessors in 2023 and 2024, this year’s list will not remain static.

Through both a dedicated topic page, which subscribers can follow, and a regularly updated chart, readers will be able to keep track of the cases covered by our court reporting team.

The list includes the names, ages, suburbs, offences and sentences of convicted offenders, provided all of that information is in the public arena and not suppressed.

It does not include any information that would tend to identify the victim or survivor of an offence, as their privacy is guaranteed under state law.

Offenders will only be added to the database once they have either pleaded or been found guilty by the state’s Supreme, District and Magistrates courts.

Meanwhile, work continues on the state government’s official child sexual offender register, which was announced in July 2024 after being a 2022 pre-election promise.

The register will be “housed” in the $19 million digital police station – a government spokesman said SA Police were currently working on its virtual infrastructure.

“Work continues to ensure the Digital Police Station is operational as soon as possible,” he said.

“It is anticipated the first digital service will be available by the end of the year.”