The ex-wife of children's author Craig Silvey has described the "hardest year of my life" after discovering his child exploitation crimes. Clare Testoni spoke out for the first time following Silvey's sentencing to seven months' imprisonment for distributing and possessing child exploitation material.

Silvey, known for novels such as Jasper Jones and Runt, was found with numerous explicit images and videos of children and adults on his devices. Testoni, who separated from Silvey after his arrest, stated in a prepared statement that she suffered a "great betrayal" at the beginning of the year, as the father of her children revealed himself to be "not the man I thought he was."

While aware of his stress and declining mental health, she had no idea of the extent of his crimes. At the time, Testoni was caring for seven-month-old twins and a three-year-old, feeling overwhelmed by motherhood and Silvey's increasing absence.

Testoni expressed sorrow for those harmed by Silvey's actions, especially the victims, emphasizing that all children deserve safety. She noted that she and their three young daughters are "secondary victims" who have suffered greatly from the betrayal. She is currently the sole parent to their children, aged three and 11-month-old twins.

"It is hard to rebuild friendships after escaping a toxic relationship when you are the sole parent to three under four," she said. Testoni indicated that navigating Silvey's future role in their children's lives is an ongoing challenge.

She also claimed that Silvey had previously hindered her own writing career, prioritizing his more lucrative work over hers. Testoni stated, "Craig has already been a shadow that occluded me at times in my career."

In March, reports emerged that Testoni had left the couple's Fremantle home and moved with their children to her mother's Sydney townhouse. A family friend described the situation as blindsiding, with Testoni's life spiraling as she coped with the revelations.

Silvey published a 9,000-word apology on Substack on the day of his sentencing. In it, he acknowledged betraying the trust of many supporters and expressed horror at causing further suffering. However, child protection charity Bravehearts chief executive Alison Geale criticized the apology for focusing on Silvey's regret and using euphemisms, stating it failed to adequately address the victims.

Court documents revealed that Silvey had been chatting with individuals discussing child abuse online under the alias 'Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy,' engaging in conversations about his "very similar interests." Judge Hayley Cormann described his crimes as repulsive and degrading, noting the long-lasting impact on victims. She stated that his actions were a means to engage with others and sexually satisfy himself through fantasies.