An Adelaide pedophile who sexually violated 13 children – in offending described as the worst in Australian legal history – has been jailed for 40 years.

District Court Judge Liesl Chapman sentenced Ruecha Tokputza to 40 years and three months in jail with a non-parole period of 28 years.

She described Tokputza, 31, as a “child’s worst nightmare” and a menace to the community.

Over six-and-a-half years, Tokputza sexually abused at least 13 children, including one as young as 15 months old.

In some instances, he filmed and shared videos of the abuse online.

Last month, he pleaded guilty to 51 charges, including aggravated indecent assault, sexual intercourse with a child and engaging in sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia.

His offending took place in Adelaide and Thailand between June 2011 and his arrest in January 2018.

Last month, prosecutor Heath Barklay said it was “hard to think of more serious offending”.

He said Tokputza’s offending was without comparison in Australian legal history and was much more serious than Families SA pedophile Shannon McCoole, who was jailed for at least 35 years for sexually abusing seven children in state care.

“The offending in [the McCoole case] lasted about three-and-a-half years, he was sentenced on the basis that he voluntarily assisted … had a written apology and … was remorseful for his offending,” Mr Barklay said.

“In contrast to this matter, where there are 50 cases, 13 child victims, offending spanning six-and-a-bit years.

“In this case, there was no remorse or no apology.”

Tokputza was also found in possession of 12,500 images and 650 videos of child exploitation material.

More to come

-ABC