1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,279 Speaker 1: Now we know a man with links to the Northern 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: Territory is facing dozens of child abuse offenses. A sixty 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 1: five year old man's been charged with forty four offenses 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: allegedly committed between nineteen ninety and twenty twenty three. A 5 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: joint investigation between South Australian and Northern Territory Police identified 6 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: that he'd been providing accommodation and schooling in South Australia 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: to many kids from the Northern Territory is my understanding. 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: But joining me on the show to tell us more 9 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: about the operation is Assistant Commissioner of the Northern Territory 10 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: Police in the Domestic, Family, Sexual Violence and Youth Division, 11 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: Assistant Commissioner Michael White. Good morning to you. 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, Good morning Bustiness. 13 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: Assistant Commissioner, This seems like it has been a massive operation. 14 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: Can you talk our listeners through how the police first 15 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: became aware of this historical child abuse? 16 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 2: Certainly can look. We first became aware of it in 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 2: October twenty twenty three, after South Australia Police had originally 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: apprehended the offender for a number of offenses in South Australia. 19 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: So in October we launched a joint investigation agreement where 20 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 2: we agreed to provide support and assistance to South Australia 21 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 2: to investigate when they identified that most of the victims 22 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 2: involved in their investigation lived or had come from the 23 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 2: Northern Territory. 24 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: So when is that offending alleged to have occurred. 25 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 2: We understand that it's commenced. The information we have is 26 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 2: around nineteen ninety and till twenty twenty three when he 27 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 2: was arrested. 28 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: How many children were victims? 29 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: At this stage he's been charged with forty four offenses 30 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: from relating to thirty victims. We understand obviously the work 31 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 2: is still ongoing, but we are obviously following up to 32 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: see if there are any more victy, and we suspect 33 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: there are, but it's about gathering evidence and making sure 34 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: that we can put any more charges before the court. 35 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: Assistant Commissioner, Like, what ages are we talking here of 36 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:11,399 Speaker 1: these victims? 37 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I probably won't talk about ages, but they 38 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: were all young boys and various ages. But certainly what 39 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: we do know is that they were in South Australia 40 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 2: for living with him and his partner in different houses, 41 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 2: and they were going to school, which is the original 42 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 2: arrangement for them to go down there. 43 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: And from locations around the Northern Territory. 44 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, yep. 45 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: Oh goodness, Like it makes me feel pretty heartbroken for 46 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: those victims and for their families because I would imagine 47 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 1: that in this situation they felt as though they were 48 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: sending their children to somebody who was going to look 49 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: after them. 50 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's correct. 51 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: What support's being provided to those victims. 52 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 2: Look, it's been the part of the investigation was building 53 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: trust and empathy and ensuring that we could work with 54 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 2: all the victims and the families to make sure they 55 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 2: felt comfortable to disclose the information that we needed to 56 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 2: proceed with the prosecution. So the engagement with them has 57 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 2: been all about their well being and welfare all the 58 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 2: way through, and also with the communities that they resided 59 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,519 Speaker 2: in because of the nature of the offending obviously caused 60 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,639 Speaker 2: a lot of grief to everyone involved and the surrounding 61 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 2: communities involved. 62 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: Is there any concern that there could in fact be 63 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: more victims. 64 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: Look, that's what we're still investigating. Obviously South Australia have 65 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: the lead. But obviously since yesterday where the Supreme Court 66 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: or the County Court suppression order was lifted to identify him, 67 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: as it's been published in other jurisdictions. That's already seeing 68 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: information being provided to South Australia Police about further the investigation. 69 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: Now, I don't expect you to sort of reveal, you know, 70 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: anything that can't be revealed operationally, but how were you 71 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: able to like to catch this person? 72 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: Look, going from what my briefing is that the original 73 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 2: report was about a specific incident and it just flowed 74 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 2: from there. Basically that when the South Straight Police originally 75 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: attended they found a number of children living in the 76 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 2: residence with him and his wife in another residence. They'd 77 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 2: had two houses next door to each other, and that 78 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: it flowed from there and when they identified that there 79 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 2: was likely significant offending in the Northern Territory victims from 80 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory, they reached out to us. 81 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: So some of those kids were still living there. 82 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, there was all up. There was thirteen 83 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 2: young people living in both houses across the two. 84 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: Oh goodness made Now in terms of the chargers, this 85 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: alleged pro is now facing can you talk us through 86 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: some of you know, some of those charges. 87 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: Look in very basic terms, every one of the charges 88 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 2: that he's been charged with is much predominantly called contact offending, 89 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: so it is either it's either physical or sexual assaults 90 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 2: of one form or another. Also including procurement of a 91 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 2: person to be involved in sexual abuse. So yeah, gross 92 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 2: indecency and other offenses. So a lot of the charges 93 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: obviously in under South Australian legislation that are quite similar, 94 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 2: but the wording is quite different. 95 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: In the Northern Territory Assistant Commissioner, I when I hear 96 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: about situations like this, and when I you know, when 97 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: you hear about this kind of like, I would describe 98 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 1: it as predatory behavior. You know, my thought always is 99 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: what do we and like what advice do you have 100 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 1: for parents, because it is every family's worst nightmare for 101 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: for for something like this to unfold and for your child, 102 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: you know, to be a victim. 103 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, it's it's you know, in this circumstance. I'm 104 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 2: sure that he created trust within those families to allow 105 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 2: them to send their children to him, and it is 106 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,799 Speaker 2: certainly something that we would all fear. You know, even 107 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,919 Speaker 2: when you kids go on a sleep do you do 108 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 2: you know, you do your own checking, make sure that 109 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: everyone's as much as you can you feel comfortable that 110 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 2: they are happy to go there. But when you're sending 111 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 2: people into state, I think it's the challenge is making 112 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 2: sure you can do as much as possible to understand that. 113 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 2: But you know, I think in this circumstance, he's certainly 114 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 2: breached to significantly breached the trust of everyone that's been impacted, 115 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 2: and that's that's part of what I see with it. 116 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 2: It's a serious type of offending. 117 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, Assistant Commissioner Michael White from the Domestic, Family, 118 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: Sexual Violence and Youth Section of the Northern Territory Police, 119 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: I really appreciate your time this morning, and I'm well 120 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 1: done to the South Australian and Northern Territory Police on 121 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: apprehending this person. Yeah, I really hope that he faces 122 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: the full force of the law and of the court. 123 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,559 Speaker 1: So I appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.