The first person in Australia to be charged under new deepfake laws has admitted his guilt in the Adelaide Magistrates Court.
William Hamish Yeates, 19, of Netherby, pleaded guilty to two counts of creating or altering sexual material without consent between October 2024 and February 2025.
The federal offence was introduced in 2024 to combat the rise of deepfake pornography in Australia and carries a maximum penalty of seven years behind bars.
A deepfake is an image or video in which a real person’s face or body has been edited using AI software to create a false depiction.
William Yeates, right, did not comment as he left the Adelaide Magistrates Court alongside his lawyer, Tim McGrath. (ABC News: Eva Blandis)
Yeates also pleaded guilty to two counts of using a carriage service in a harassing or offensive way.
The 19-year-old was initially charged with 20 offences, but the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) withdrew those counts in lieu of the pleas to the four charges.
The CDPP previously confirmed the case was the only one of its type it was prosecuting.
Yeates did not comment on the development as he left court accompanied by his lawyer, Tim McGrath.
The matter was committed to South Australia’s District Court for a hearing next month.