Durban panto actor Anthony Stonier has been convicted after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography in the Durban Magistrate’s Court and is expected to return later this month for sentencing.

Stonier, who remains out on bail, was arrested in April 2024 during a joint operation between SAPS and the United States Department of Homeland Security. Authorities searched his Umbilo home and seized electronic devices containing illicit images of children, reports Berea Mail.

In his guilty plea on Tuesday, Stonier admitted to being in possession of the material, which he said was sent to him in 2023 by an online contact identified as ‘Visagie’.

The actor told the court he was battling depression and an addiction to ‘hard drugs like cocaine and crystal meth’ at the time.

“I admit that I viewed them fleetingly but did not pay particular attention as it was not appealing to my preference of sexuality,” Stonier said in his statement to court. “The content remained on my device and went into storage automatically.”

He further admitted that although he understood the legal implications of possessing child pornography, he neither deleted nor reported the material.

“I subsequently changed my device, and during this process, the content contained in the device went to either my computer or storage device. After changing my device, I had completely forgotten about the offending content as it did not appear on my new device,” he stated.

Following his arrest in 2024, SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Stonier was among 13 suspects arrested during a multi-province crackdown targeting child exploitation offences.

“The 58-year-old man was found in possession of hundreds of images and videos of children involved in sexual acts. Included were also images and chats where information relating to boys who are available for sexual favours at a price of R2 500 and a willing buyer having a choice to drug them,” said Mathe.

Stonier is expected back in court on May 25 for sentencing.

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