Children’s book author groomed students he met through schools

A children’s author in his 40s used his writing role to groom students he met through schools or who contacted him about his books to send them “highly sexual” stories, with some equating to child abuse material, a court has heard.

Oliver Phommavanh, who has been a finalist for the Young Australia Best Book Awards and Kids Own Australia’s Literature Awards, pleaded guilty to six counts against three victims spanning four years, including using a carriage service to “make procuring sexual activity easier”, intending to groom a child for sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual activity via a carriage service, and transmitting child abuse material.

The 43-year-old’s grooming conversations with three real victims aged under 16 and an undercover police officer happened online between 2020 and 2024.

During sentencing submissions at Parramatta District Court on Monday, the court heard Phommavanh’s contact with the victims was sparked in a number of ways, including through schools via his writing work, by a child who reached out after reading his books, and conversations initiated by the undercover officer.

The Crown prosecutor argued that “his occupation as a children’s book author not only created the opportunity for him to access the children, but also created what I would describe as the manipulative layer of the conduct that … uses discussions about his writing and about his books in order to introduce sexualised themes”.

Texts sent by Phommavanh to one victim, which were read out in court, include: “I’m going to keep saying it, but you are way more mature than your age.”

Conversations about his physical attraction turned to interest in her personality and enjoyment of images she sent, the court heard.

When he said that he assumed the girl was turning 16 this year, she replied “yes”. The defence submitted it was relevant that she had already turned 16 when she wrote this.

Phommavanh’s lawyer, Kieran Ginges, acknowledged his client abused his position of trust due to what the judge described as having “access to schools because of his status”.

The lawyer said that regarding one victim, the stories of a “highly sexualised nature” were sent while she was aged between 16 and 18. However, he noted those stories “become child pornography or child abuse material because it relates to someone under the age of 18”.

‘We say that grooming offences are preparatory in nature ... [Phommavanh intended] as a real possibility to engage in some sexual activity.’

Upon Phommavanh’s arrest in May 2024 at his home in the western Sydney suburb of Old Guildford, he admitted about “70 per cent of his behaviour to police”, the court heard.

Ginges said his client was dishonest about some aspects and honest about others, compared it to “cognitive dissonance”, and said it was “consistent with somebody who’s still coming to terms with the offending”.

The lawyer argued his client had no intention of meeting the victims in person, and explicitly told one person they would never meet. While the prosecutor agreed some evidence showed he wasn’t intending to physically meet them, she argued the offending was nonetheless serious.

“What [we submit] is that … the sexual activity that was intended was limited to a sexualised chat group,” the prosector said.

“We say that grooming offences are preparatory in nature, and that what is criminalised is … the steps that are taken in the lead-up”.

She said Phommavanh intended “as a real possibility to engage in some sexual activity”.

In foreshadowing sending Phommavanh to jail, Judge Peter Krisenthal said he had “committed very serious offences … and he has to go into custody”.

The defence submitted the guilty pleas signalled an insight into his crimes and remorse, but the prosecution noted a psychologist described his insight as “limited” as he “did not appraise the psychological impact on his victims at the time of his offending, believing that they could not be affected by impersonal, online communication”.

According to the Newington College Litfest website, Phommavanh is also a stand-up comedian and former primary school teacher.

“He has written a number of comedic children’s novels including Stuff Happens: Ethan, Punchlines, Thai-no-mite, Con-nerd, Thai-riffic, and Natural Born Loser, and the short story collection Brain Freeze,” the website reads.

“His passions include making people laugh and engaging children and young adults with literature”.

Phommavanh will be sentenced on February 13 over the six primary counts, with four further counts to be considered.

Anyone needing support can contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028, Lifeline 13 11 14, and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.

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