Timeline of former Basketball SA employee, referee Nathan Wieland’s child sex crimes

This man was once a highly decorated sporting referee, and considered a mentor to young players. Now he’s confessed to his darkest secrets.

Once awarded “referee of the year” by one of South Australia’s biggest sporting organisations, Nathan Aaron Wieland was hiding a very dark secret.

For years, the decorated Basketball SA umpire was sexually abusing teenage boys, all while maintaining his position umpiring games.

“Officiated at all levels of basketball in this state,” according to an old newsletter issued by Basketball SA, Wieland was trusted for years to referee games in the national league, as well as coach other referees and supervise court action.

Basketball SA referee Nathan Wieland has pleaded guilty to child sex offences.

Now he finds himself facing courts of a different kind, having confessed to child sex crimes dating back to 2020.

Wieland was arrested and charged in July last year, and was suspended from his role at Basketball SA soon after.

After many months of negotiations with prosecutors, and added charges along the way, Wieland is now headed to the South Australian District Court after pleading guilty to multiple offences.

On August 13 this year, Wieland confessed to his crimes in the Adelaide Magistrates Court and the timeline of his vile offending can now be exposed.

The full timeline of his acts can be seen in the graphic above.

According to court documents, his offences took place between Adelaide, Ingle Farm, Woodville, Para Vista and other suburbs.

In July last year, Basketball SA chief executive Tim Brenton wrote to parents informing them a volunteer had been stood down.

“The volunteer has been directed not to attend any Basketball South Australia stadium or recreation centre where children and young people frequent,” Mr Brenton said in an email.

“The volunteer has been directed to not contact any Basketball South Australia staff, employee, member, Stadium Service Officer, referee, referee coach, basketball coach, basketball assistant coach, team manager, administrator, player, technical official, volunteer, or any other role and / or position associated with Basketball South Australia in any capacity whatsoever.

“This includes all social, junior and senior competitions, programs and the NBL1 League.”

Mr Brenton said SA Police had advised there was “no information at this time that sexual offending occurred against persons associated with Basketball SA” but “the investigation is ongoing and further information will be released to Basketball SA if required”.

Nathan Wieland in a Basketball SA newsletter in 2011. Picture: Basketball SA

Wieland was named referee of the year in 2014. Picture: Facebook.

In Basketball SA newsletters over the years, Wieland was described as having had a “long involvement in developing and training referees, both as a Basketball SA employee and volunteer”.

In court last month, Wieland was emotionless as he told Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal he’d plead guilty to each count.

All up, Wieland pleaded guilty to six counts of procuring a child for sexual activity, seven counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 17 and one count of adult, sexual abuse of a child.

Prosecutors then withdrew a further 20 charges on top of 28 that were withdrawn at a previous hearing.

Chief Magistrate Hribal remanded Wieland in custody to face the District Court in September before sentencing submissions at a later date.