SA judge Liesl Kudelka praises Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team for rescuing child, 5, from violent pedophile father

A violent pedophile who abused his son has shown no remorse as he received a hefty prison term – but a judge praised the elite police officer he bashed during his arrest.

A violent pedophile who bashed an elite police officer during his arrest has started a 17-year prison term without remorse, loudly saying “good” as a judge recounted his victim’s injuries.

On Thursday, District Court Judge Liesl Kudelka said the man – whose identity is suppressed – would have received a 73-year term if not for laws banning overly-harsh sentences.

She denounced his repeated acts of abuse against his own son, which he filmed and distributed online, as “vile, depraved and abhorrent”.

She said his attack upon the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team officer who arrested him, in a moving car amid heavy traffic, was “unprovoked, prolonged and relentless”.

The man, who appeared by video link, replied “good” – prompting Judge Kudelka to praise the officer, who cannot be named for operational reasons.

The emblem of SA’s elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, who investigated and arrested the man. Picture: Matt Loxton

She said he, his colleague Detective Brevet Sergeant Tracy Coombes and the entire combined SA Police/AFP team deserved medals for their work rescuing children from harm.

“I want to publicly recognise the work of JACET in relation to this investigation and generally … members of that team had to watch videos of the abuse you perpetrated,” she said.

“Let me make it plain – even a brief description of what you did to your son is distressing for any right-minded person to read.

“I don’t think many people in the community would get past the first page of Detective Coombes’ report … frankly, she deserves a medal – the whole team does.

“They rescued a five-year-old boy – your son – and got him to a safe place … expert reports say he now ‘radiates joy’ in that secure environment.”

District Court Judge Liesl Kudelka. Picture: Dylan Coker

The man, 27, pleaded guilty to 23 child abuse offences against his son including unlawful sexual intercourse.

Previously, he begged the court not to confiscate his computer so he could play games when paroled – but Judge Kudelka said it would be “out of date” by then.

In sentencing on Thursday, she said experts had diagnosed the man with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but did not consider it a major factor in his offending.

She said they had concluded the man was a pedophile, regardless of his repeated denials of being sexually attracted to children.

“What you did to your son was vile and depraved, the descriptions are heartbreaking,” she said.

“The assault you unleashed was totally unprovoked, unnecessarily prolonged, excessive and violent.”

“I expect there will be members of the community that would agree with 73 years in jail for what you have done.”

She imposed a head sentence of 17 years with a non-parole period of 14 years.