Beau Seeby, charged with sexually assaulting young girl in a public toilet, is first alleged sex offender identified under new SA laws
This man, charged with attacking a young girl in a public toilet, has become the first person to be publicly exposed under new laws removing automatic anonymity for alleged sex offenders.
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- Anonymous no more: Alleged sex offenders named under new law
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A man accused of indecently assaulting a young girl in a public toilet has become the first alleged offender to lose his automatic anonymity under new laws that safeguard the public’s right to know.
Beau Seeby, 23, of Berri, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday by video link from prison.
He has yet to plead to one aggravated count of indecent assault and one aggravated count of assault.
SA Police have alleged that, around 11pm on October 6, he followed an eight-year-old girl into the toilets of a Riverland community club and sexually assaulted her.
Until new legislation came into force last month, the identity of alleged sex offenders like Seeby were kept a state secret during initial court proceedings due to archaic laws that granted automatic anonymity to alleged sex offenders.
Those laws were abolished in March, and new laws came into effect last week, following an 18-year campaign by The Advertiser for the public’s right to know.
On Tuesday, prosecutors told the court they would press ahead with the charges.
Counsel for Seeby said their client was not yet prepared to enter a plea to the charges because they were still waiting for forensic analysis of evidence from the alleged incident to be completed.
Prosecutors said it was hoped that analysis would be complete, and the results available, by July 18.
Magistrate Greg Fisher remanded Seeby in custody to answer the charges on July 21.