Alleged Adelaide High School rapist faces Youth Court for the first time, media excluded from hearing by magistrate

The alleged Adelaide High School rapist has faced court for the first time – and the magistrate has conducted the hearing behind closed doors.

The alleged Adelaide High School rapist has made his first court appearance behind closed doors, with a magistrate refusing the media permission to attend.

The boy, 18, from the western suburbs, arrived for his Youth Court hearing on Friday wearing sunglasses and a disposable Covid-19 mask.

Court staff informed the media that Auxiliary Magistrate Ted Iuliano had refused their applications to attend the hearing.

Reporters then asked for an opportunity to make submissions about section 24 of the Youth Court Act (1993), which permits the media to attend such hearings.

In response, Mr Iuliano had his staff hand reporters a copy of the act with one section – granting him unfettered discretion to “exclude” persons from court – highlighted.

The boy, 18, charged with raping two girls following allegations made about Adelaide High School. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes.

The boy has yet to plead to one count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 17 years.

He is also charged with engaging in sexual intercourse without consent and one basic count of indecently assaulting a person. It followed an Adelaide High student posting on social media that she had been sexually assaulted.

The boy is further charged with one count of engaging in sexual intercourse after consent has been withdrawn by another person.

The offences are alleged to have occurred between May 2019 and February 2021 in three different suburbs.

A copy of the Youth Court Act provided to reporters by Auxiliary Magistrate Ted Iuliano’s staff. Picture: Sean Fewster.

Auxiliary Magistrate Ted Iuliano in 2011, when he received a Queen’s Birthday award for services to SA football.

Prosecutors allege the offences were committed against two separate victims, one of whom was 15 years old.

Court documents show the boy was released on $500 bail, with a guarantor promising an additional $1000, following his arrest.

He was also made subject to a curfew requiring him to stay inside his home address between 9pm and 6am.

The allegations first became public last week when they were detailed on social media, and the school sent a letter to parents and carers.

On Friday, the boy’s closed court hearing lasted for just seven minutes.

Court records show he was remanded on continuing bail to appear again in July.