Salisbury North factory worker enters more pleas to child grooming offences, but more charges are laid

A Salisbury North factory worker brought down in a police sting has pleaded guilty – but is already facing another charge.

A Salisbury North man has pleaded guilty to child grooming – but is facing a fresh child sexual charge, after months of sexually explicit conversations with covert officers posing as a 14-year-old girl.

On Thursday, factory worker Iain Alexander Macrae, 39, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court via video link expecting to enter a plea to the final outstanding charge against him.

However, counsel for Macrae told Magistrate Simon Smart the prosecution had laid a new charge – disseminating child exploitation material – last week.

Mr Smart granted the adjournment, and read the previously pending charge to Macrae – communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity.

“Guilty,” Macrae responded.

The 39-year-old previously pleaded guilty to a single count of communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity and one count of knowingly being in possession of child exploitation material.

During his unsuccessful bail application after arrest, the court heard Macrae sent sexually explicit messages to one officer over the course of four months – messages that progressively became more graphic.

“Covert Officer One reminded the defendant she was 14, to which he replied ‘I’m okay with it if you’re okay with it’,” police prosecution said in May.

The court previously also heard Macrae had lost his employment working in a factory and driving forklifts six months before his arrest due to ongoing issues with depression, but had recently acquired a care plan to treat the condition.

Mr Smart remanded Macrae in custody until October.