Twice convicted Nuriootpa child predator Jonathon David Henke jailed again as he suggests chemical castration

A predator stung twice by undercover SA police officers while trying to abuse children has told a judge he has a final fix for his repulsive obsession.

A convicted child predator who attempted to pay caregivers to sexually abuse their children says he has a solution to his repulsive offending – to get treatment of his “own volition”.

Jonathon David Henke was on parole for just months when he sent messages to a “grandmother” offering to pay money to abuse her two grandchildren under the age of five.

Henke, now 50, told the court he had a “long-standing problem” – his sexual interest in children and abuse material – but his failed rehabilitative efforts gave him a new idea.

He would seek chemical castration of his “own volition”.

During sentencing on Friday, Judge Geraldine Davison said in her view it was “unlikely” to occur.

Jonathon Henke has told a court he was seeking chemical castration to prevent further offending. Photo: SAPOL

“Whatever inquiries you have made about this are in the early stages,” Judge Davison said.

“It is unlikely in my view that such a course will be taken until you have engaged in other counselling directed towards assisting you.”

The court heard the Nuriootpa man had developed “valuable insights” in custody but failed to “adequately implement relevant … strategies”.

Judge Davison said Henke thought he required “slightly different” assistance than those offered in custody.

Henke, now 50, pleaded guilty to two counts of communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity and one count of producing child exploitation material.

His new offences were committed less than six months after being release on parole.

Henke was first sentenced after a 2020 arrest in a motel room, busted by undercover officers and believing he was about to “have sex” with a fictional daughter.

After his release, the Nuriootpa man began contacting a second undercover officer he thought was a grandmother – offering her $200 for sex with one of their children.

Henke was arrested in February, after the elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Taskforce – JACET – and STAR Group officers raided his home.

Judge Davison said it was “fortuitous” the children were fictional.

“It is a consideration in this case that no child was actually offended against, however from your position that is just fortuitous that the police were the object of your communications,” Her Honour said.

Judge Davison sentenced Henke to six years and two months’ jail – including a year and eight months unserved from his prior sentence – and four years and three months non-parole.