Prominent Australian author Craig Silvey has been charged with possessing and distributing child exploitation material.

Silvey, 43, had a search warrant issued at his Fremantle home on Monday, 12 January, where detectives allegedly found him “actively engaging with other child exploitation offenders online”.

“He was immediately arrested, and his electronic devices were seized,” a WA police spokesperson said.

He appeared before the Fremantle magistrates court on Tuesday, 13 January, charged with distribution of child exploitation material and possession of child exploitation material. WA Today reported that he was granted bail.

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Silvey is an award-winning writer best known for his works Jasper Jones and Runt, which have both been adapted into feature films and garnered critical acclaim. He has twice been named one of the Sydney Morning Herald’s best young Australian novelists.

The Western Australian began his career as a young adult author, with his works featuring prominently in Australian education. Both Jasper Jones and his award-winning book Honeybee are frequently included in school curricula and national reading lists.

The WA police spokesperson said the investigation was ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact police.