The husband of Australian children’s author Mem Fox was yesterday convicted of having sex with an underage male student.

Ms Fox, the author of a host of popular children’s books including the internationally acclaimed Possum Magic and Wombat Divine, gaped and declared it “absolutely unbelievable” as her husband was found guilty.

Malcolm Fox, 67, had pleaded not guilty in the Adelaide District Court to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with the drama student, then aged 17, between June and December 1984.

It was not clear why it had taken so long for the case to come to light.

The age of consent in the state of South Australia for sex with a person in authority, such as a teacher, is 18.

The court heard the youth turned to Mr Fox for help after he had been sexually abused by another, older man, while Mr Fox claimed the student made “embarrassing” and unwanted advances towards him.

Judge Gordon Barrett said he found Mr Fox’s account “intrinsically implausible”.

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