Basketball SA volunteer Nathan Wieland could face further child sex charges, court told

A Basketball SA volunteer and former NBL umpire could face further child sex offences – but his lawyer claims he has a “perfectly proper defence” to the allegations.

A former basketball SA volunteer and NBL and WNBL referee charged with child sex offences could face extra charges, a court has heard.

Nathan Aaron Wieland, 45, of Ingle Farm appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday seeking release on bail after his arrest last week on a charge of procuring a child for sexual activity and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under 17.

The procuring offence is alleged to have occurred between August 2, 2022 and March 22, 2023. The unlawful sexual activity charges are alleged to have occurred in December last year.

A police prosecutor told the court the alleged teenage victim had since been re-interviewed by police and disclosed further alleged offences which were likely to lead to further charges.

Basketball SA volunteer and former NBL referee Nathan Wieland has been charged with child grooming and child abuse offences. Picture: Facebook.

“The victim has now disclosed that he has met with Mr Wieland on two further occasions and been taken to his house during which time there was (sexual activity,” the prosecutor said.

He said police were in the process of identifying footage on Mr Wieland’s phone which may have captured the alleged offending.

It also heard police were investigating a 2017 chat thread found on Mr Wieland’s phone which allegedly references him engaging in sexual intercourse with an unidentified 16-year-old boy.

“The investigation is in its infancy but we expect it’s likely to grow,” the prosecutor told the court.

He said Mr Wieland worked as an IT manager and police had concerns that if he was released on bail he could use his expertise to tamper with evidence.

“If he is granted bail we believe he could access the internet and destroy evidence,” he said.

He said prosecutors were “strongly opposed” to all forms of bail.

Stephen Ey, for Mr Wieland, told the court the alleged victim had been “soliciting himself out to other people” on gay, bisexual and transgender dating and chat application Grindr.

He said the alleged offending had only come to police attention after the alleged victim’s parents found “certain material” on his phone.

“It’s not a situation where the complainant was out there being abused by the defendant and then reporting it to authorities... he’s out there clearly soliciting himself out to other people,” he said.

“It’s a different situation to a breach of trust allegation.”

He said any suggestion his client would tamper with evidence was unfounded.

Mr Ey urged the court to release his client, who had no prior history of offending, on bail to live with his mother at Brahma Lodge and include conditions banning him from using the internet or a smart phone.

Outside court Mr Ey said he “can’t say” who first made contact between his client and the alleged victim.

“We are of the belief that at this stage he has got a perfectly proper defence and we will be taking that approach,” he said.

Magistrate Karim Soetratma ordered a home detention bail report to Mr Wieland’s mother’s address and indicated he would be granting bail when the matter returns to court next week but would include conditions to restrict his use of the internet.

Mr Wieland was a former officiating manager for Basketball SA and also lists on his social media positions at several high schools where he was running IT services.

He refereed at the NBL and WNBL level and won referee of the year awards in the Central ABL – now known as NBL One.

Last week, Basketball SA chief executive Tim Brenton wrote to parents informing them a volunteer had been stood down.

Mr Wieland’s mother declined to comment outside court, but his cousin Jason Wieland said the allegations had come as a shock to the family.

“He’s quiet, a quiet person. He loved his basketball. I’m just here to support my aunty,” Jason Wieland said.

“She is worried because of her health.”