Original charges against Nathan Wieland dropped – but nearly 40 more child sex allegations laid

A Basketball SA and NBL referee charged with over ten child abuse crimes has had allegations against him dropped in court – but is now facing nearly 40 more.

Basketball SA referee Nathan Wieland has been charged with child sex offences.

A Basketball SA and NBL referee charged with over ten child abuse crimes has had allegations against him dropped in court – but is now facing nearly 40 more.

Once known as South Australian Referee of the Year, Nathan Aaron Wieland, 45, is now facing 36 fresh counts of offending against children, despite hearing the original child abuse charges against him would be dropped.

Appearing via audio visual link in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning, Mr Wieland was silent as prosecutors revealed the original charges laid would be replaced with a second file containing 36 new counts.

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

His alleged offending spanned nearly six years between 2017 and 2023. Picture: Facebook.

Prosecutors told the court there were originally 64 charges on the new information, but the Director of Public Prosecutions had dropped charges 1 to 28.

Altogether, Mr Wieland is now facing 22 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with children under the age of 17, 11 counts of procuring a child for sexual activity and one count each of communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity, indecent assault and sexual abuse of a child.

Documents released to The Advertiser by the court reveal his alleged offending spanned nearly six years – allegedly starting in June 2017 and concluding in April 2023.

Police allege he engaged in the crimes in multiple suburbs around metropolitan South Australia, including Ingle Farm, Adelaide, Para Vista, Woodville and West Croydon.

In 2014 – the same year Mr Wieland was awarded referee of the year by the Central Australia Basketball League, now known as NBL One Central, police previously alleged he was grooming a teenage boy.

In January, counsel for Wieland, Stephen Ey told the court he’d need some time to “get on top of” “significant amounts” of new evidence against his client, including 800 pages of “chats”.

Originally scheduled for Mr Wieland to answer his charges, Mr Ey on Wednesday asked Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal to adjourn the matter for “ongoing negotiations with prosecutors”.

Prosecution counsel sought 10 weeks before Mr Wieland is expected to answer the charge, to give them time to speak with complainants and get further evidence.

Mr Wieland will return to court in May.