Australian author Craig Silvey appeared in a Fremantle court on Tuesday after being charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material, police said.
Silvey, 43, the author of the bestselling novel Jasper Jones, was arrested after detectives executed a search warrant at his home on Monday and seized electronic devices. He was not required to enter a plea.
Prosecutors opposed bail, telling the Fremantle Magistrates Court that Silvey had not cooperated with investigators and “may hinder the investigation.”
They alleged he had engaged in online conversations expressing a sexual interest in children and had shared images.
The court was told Silvey had declined to provide access to his electronic devices and that police were seeking a court order to compel compliance.
Magistrate Thomas Hall granted bail, noting that imprisonment was a likely outcome if the charges were proven, but stressed Silvey had not been convicted.
Bail conditions included a $100,000 surety, a ban on leaving Western Australia, restrictions on internet use and a prohibition on working with children.
Silvey was not released after the hearing after failing to meet the surety requirement and was taken from court in custody.
Western Australia’s Education Minister Sabine Winton said schools had been instructed to stop using Silvey’s books as teaching texts while the matter was under investigation, describing the allegations as “deeply concerning.”
Silvey, whose books are widely taught in Australian schools, is due to appear in court again on Feb. 10.
