Australian Wine Research Institute staffer Simon Dillon faces court on child sex charges following online chats with covert SA Police officer

Police say he called himself ‘Shagpile’ online while looking to abuse children – until he was discovered thanks to his own choice in floor coverings.

An Australian Wine Research Institute staffer who used the online handle “Shagpile” was outed as an alleged internet child abuser thanks to the distinctive Persian rug in his home, a court has heard.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court has also heard allegations Simon Dillon graphically sought to groom girls as young as five for sexual activity.

On Tuesday, SA Police prosecutors urged the court to refuse Mr Dillon’s application for bail, warning they were still gathering evidence from his online cloud accounts.

They said that evidence would be crucial to their case, which arose from a series of online communications that began on January 17 this year.

Scientist Simon Dillon, who is accused of using the internet to attempt to groom children under the age of five for sex.

“He has been speaking online with a covert police officer who he believed to be a 51-year-old woman with care of a five-year-old granddaughter,” the prosecutor said.

“He used the online name ‘Shagpile 71’, his profile picture showed a blue suit jacket and trousers and, in the background of the illicit images he sent, a Persian rug could be seen.

“Upon his arrest, police located the same blue suit in his wardrobe … the same Persian rug had been rolled up and placed in his garage.”

Mr Dillon, 51, of Adelaide, has yet to plead to one count each of disseminating child exploitation material and communicating to make a child amenable to sex.

He was arrested by detectives from the state’s elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team at his home, on the southeast edge of the CBD, on Monday.

On Tuesday, Mr Dillon’s duty solicitor said his client wanted to apply for “all forms of bail” but asked the allegations not be read aloud in court.

The state’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, declined that request.

The prosecutor alleged “Shagpile” was but one of Mr Dillon’s usernames, with another being “Simon The Saint”.

SA Police allege Mr Dillon’s online usernames include “Simon The Saint” and “Shagpile 71”.

“He said (to the covert officer) ‘Male? Female? 10 to 14 years? I’m similar, so maybe I can help’,” he said.

While speaking with and sending illicit images to the covert officer, he said, Mr Dillon repeatedly expressed interest in sexual activity with girls aged 10, 11 and 12 years.

He said Mr Dillon inquired after the covert officer’s fictitious five-year-old grandchild and gave graphic descriptions of sexual acts he would like to perform.

“We are opposed to bail in all forms due to the seriousness of the offence and the potential for there to be interference in the ongoing investigation,” he said.

Mr Dillon’s counsel said his client was entitled to bail, given he worked “full-time as a scientist” and had “no criminal history whatsoever”.

“He can lodge a cash surety of up to $5000 … this is his first time in custody and it’s been a salutary experience for him,” he said.

Ms Hribal refused bail, citing the paramount need to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, and remanded Mr Dillon in custody until March.

Editor’s Note:

A previous version of this story said Simon Dillon was a University of Adelaide scientist.

Submissions made in court by defence counsel, while seeking his release on bail, included that Mr Dillon was a university scientist.

Advertiser.com.au’s error arose from the fact Mr Dillon is a staffer at the Australian Wine Research Institute, which is based at the university’s Waite Campus.

He is not employed by the university and has no affiliation with it.