Adelaide childcare worker Bronte John Ciracovitch facing child sex, child abuse material charges

Authorities will urgently contact 180 families linked to a childcare centre in Adelaide’s north after a court lifted a suppression order on a charged worker.

Letters will be sent to 180 northern suburbs families seeking information following the unmasking of a childcare worker accused of sex offences.

On Wednesday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court revoked a suppression order on the identity of Bronte John Ciracovitch.

Ciracovitch, 30, has yet to plead to one count of maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a minor.

He is also charged with aggravated counts of producing and possessing child exploitation material.

The Advertiser has confirmed Ciracovitch was not an employee of the Department of Education and Child Services, and worked for a privately-run childcare centre.

That company operates two centres in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, as well as three others in regional areas.

Bronte John Ciracovitch has been charged with one count of sex with a minor, and producing and possessing child abuse material.

Child Care Services Australia issued a statement confirming Ciracovitch was a former employee.

“In line with South Australian Police requests, we have directly contacted all parents and caregivers of children related to our centres,” it said.

“The safety of all children is our number one priority. We have been liaising with SA Police since we became aware of the matter.”

Ciracovitch was working at a northern suburbs childcare centre when he was arrested in September last year.

At the time, the Elizabeth Magistrates Court imposed a suppression upon his identity in order to allow police time to complete their investigations.

On Wednesday, however, counsel from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions asked that secrecy order be revoked.

They said letters were to be sent to 180 families connected to the centre in order to alert them to the allegations against Ciracovitch and make further inquiries.

They argued that, if the suppression was to remain, an exemption should be granted so the letters could be sent regardless.

Under state law, any communication to a third party – including in written form – is considered “publication”.

Bronte John Ciracovitch has been charged with one count of sex with a minor, and producing and possessing child abuse material.

Counsel for Ciracovitch asked the order remain in force, saying it would be “appalling” to “name and shame” a defendant in order to garner further evidence.

They said their client’s case was special, warning members of his family would suffer hardship if Ciracovitch’s identity was published.

But The Advertiser said there were no special circumstances in Ciracovitch’s case warranting a suppression order.

It argued that a legal change last March, which abolished automatic anonymity for alleged sex offenders, showed parliament’s clear intention that such cases were of public interest. It further argued long-settled case law, dating back more than a decade, held that courts must not consider an offender’s family when determining questions of undue hardship.

Magistrate David McLeod said he was satisfied, having heard the arguments, there were no special circumstances and the suppression order should be revoked.

He remanded Ciracovitch in custody to face court again in May, when he will answer the charges.

Ciracovitch previously appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court in September. At that hearing, police alleged he had maintained an unlawful sexual relationship with a child by engaging in two or more unlawful sexual acts.

Those acts were allegedly committed between December 31, 2019 and September 21, 2020.

Police further alleged the child exploitation material was produced, while other abuse material was in Ciracovitch’s possession, at Burton between those same dates.

The offences are considered aggravated because the child allegedly depicted in the abuse material is under the age of 14.