Identity of alleged police impersonator accused of robbing and raping women to remain a secret until July, court rules

Laws granting anonymity to alleged sex offenders have been abolished, but a court says the public can’t know the identity of an alleged fake cop accused of raping women for at least three months.

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The identity of an alleged police impersonator accused of targeting, robbing and raping women isolating due to COVID-19 will remain a state secret until at least July.

On Friday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court declined to grant The Advertiser an exemption from abolished, but still active, suppression laws so the man could be identified.

SA Police told the court their officers required more time to continue their investigations, including conducting identity parades with the man’s alleged victims.

They argued public disclosure of his identity prior to the completion of that work could be “prejudicial to the proper administration of justice” – and the court agreed.

The man, 31, has yet to plead to four counts of engaging in sexual intercourse without consent and two aggravated counts of committing theft using force.

He is further charged with two counts of falsely representing himself as a police officer.

Police allege that, last Friday, he used false police credentials to enter the premises of two women, and a handgun tucked into his belt to demand money and sex.

They further allege he handcuffed one of the women while repeatedly raping her, and stole a total of $8300 from his two victims.

Last month, longstanding laws granting automatic anonymity to alleged sexual offenders were abolished thanks to a successful 18-year campaign by The Advertiser.

However, that abolition has yet to come into force because the police and the Courts Administration Authority asked it be delayed so they could alter their internal processes.

The State Government has given those bodies until mid-April to do so – meaning the man’s identity remains suppressed under the force of the abolished laws.

On Friday, Andrew Ey, for the man, noted the new law was likely to apply retroactively once it came into force.

“That means it may come into effect, with regards to my client, before his next court appearance,” he said.

“That may mean his identity could be revealed prior to police having completed their investigations.”

He asked a specific suppression order be placed on his client’s identity and Magistrate Greg Fisher agreed.

However, he ordered that suppression be reviewed – in line with the new laws, not the old ones – when the man next faces court in July.