Craig Silvey, a popular Australian children's author known for "Jasper Jones" and "Runt," has been sentenced to seven months in jail after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material. Judge Hayley Cormann described Silvey's actions as "repulsive" and "degrading."

Police arrested the 44-year-old author in January after raiding his Western Australia home and seizing electronic devices. He pleaded guilty in May, and was jailed pending his sentencing in October.

During the sentencing, the court heard that Silvey had open online chats discussing child exploitation when police arrived at his home. He had reportedly described himself as "extremely open minded" and "obsessed with taboos." Prosecutors stated that Silvey contributed to the "cycle of abuse" and victimized children in the material found on his devices.

Silvey's defense argued he did not have a sexual interest in children and was seeking out depraved material as a form of emotional self-harm, presenting it as a cry for help and genuine remorse. The defense also noted the severe punishment Silvey had already endured through public scrutiny and the relocation of his former partner and children.

However, Judge Cormann did not accept these arguments, emphasizing the seriousness of the offenses and the lasting trauma inflicted on child victims. "These children, the victims of this type of offending, are real and are traumatised… the consequences for them from these abuses are long lasting and very, very traumatic," she stated.

Silvey's sentence of seven months is backdated to October 22, and he is eligible for parole. His works, including the award-winning "Jasper Jones," which sold over half a million copies and was adapted into a film and stage play, and "Runt," also adapted for film, have been pulled from shelves by publishers and removed from school curricula in some states since his arrest.

"Jasper Jones," set in Western Australia, was shortlisted for prestigious literary awards. His novel "Runt" follows the adventures of an 11-year-old girl and a stray dog.