Paedophiles Mark Anthony Gray and Dylan McCrossin plead guilty to child exploitation crimes, earn up to 40 per cent off sentences
Two Adelaide men will serve up to 40 per cent less prison time for their child exploitation offences – because they rushed through their guilty pleas before a change in sentence discount laws.
Police & Courts
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Two child sex offenders – one who used the Kik app, the other a teacher at seven SA schools – have pleaded guilty to secure hefty sentencing discounts that are about to be abolished.
In separate court hearings on Thursday, Mark Anthony Gray and Dylan McCrossin pleaded guilty to possessing material showing children under the age of 14 being exploited.
Both Gray – who also produced and shared the illegal material – and McCrossin are now eligible to receive reductions of up to 40 per cent off their eventual sentences.
While a State Government bill to reduce discounts passed the Lower House earlier this week, it has yet to pass through the Upper House.
The Greens wish to interrogate the terms of the bill, as they are permitted to do so under Parliamentary rules.
An Opposition bill to cut the discounts was introduced in parliament in July but was voted down.
On Thursday, Opposition legal affairs spokesman Kyam Maher said the government was to blame for any leniency shown to Gray or McCrossin.
“Paedophiles are now pushing each other out of the way to plead guilty and take advantage of the government’s inexcusable lack of action,” he said.
“We moved legislation to fix this in July and the government voted against it – we said at the time that, if any more vile offenders got out of prison early it would be on Steven Marshall’s head.
“He must now take responsibility.”
Opposition legal affairs spokesman Kyam Maher’s letter to Attorney-General Vickie Chapman
Gray, 56, of Wynn Vale, was the first to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.
He was arrested in May by SA’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, or JACET, which is a partnership between SA Police and Australian Federal Police.
At the time, JACET alleged Gray was acting as an administrator of a social networking application for the purpose of dealing with child exploitation material.
On Thursday, by video link, Gray pleaded guilty to multiple basic and aggravated counts of possessing and disseminating child exploitation material.
He also pleaded guilty to one aggravated count of producing child exploitation material.
Under Commonwealth law, an aggravated offence means the child depicted in the material was under the age of 14 years.
Gray also pleaded guilty to multiple counts of acting as a host or administrator of a website used to distribute child exploitation material.
Those charges, relating to his use of the Kik app, and all other offences occurred between November 2018 and May 2020.
The state’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, remanded Gray in custody to face the District Court in November, when a date for sentencing will be set.
McCrossin, 39, of Norwood, faced court later in the day – his case was not scheduled to be heard again until December.
His lawyer told the court her client wanted the matter called on so that he could enter guilty pleas.
McCrossin pleaded guilty to one aggravated count, and two basic counts of possessing child exploitation material.
Those offences were committed at Norwood on January 9 this year.
McCrossin was arrested by JACET in July, prompting the Department of Education to notify parents at seven schools.
Judge Hribal remanded him on continuing bail to face the District Court in November, in order to set a sentencing date.
On Thursday, Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said it was “extremely disappointing” the Greens had “stalled” the bill and not proceeded with it.