SA court told top Adelaide cheerleading coach may have sexually abused 17 of her students

A top cheerleading coach who was already accused of sexually exploiting one student now faces charges relating to two more – while prosecutors investigate a further 14 possible victims.

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A top cheerleading coach now stands accused of sexually offending against three of her students – and prosecutors say they are investigating allegations involving 14 other girls.

The woman, 22, who has worked with cheerleading teams that have competed around Australia and overseas, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Although SA’s suppression order laws have changed, and alleged sexual offenders no longer receive automatic anonymity, the woman cannot be identified.

State law still prohibits any form of publication that “may tend to identify” an alleged victim of a sexual offence, in order to safeguard their privacy.

The woman first faced court in April, when SA Police alleged the offending occurred between August 2015 and December 2017 in a suburb north of the city.

Police alleged the exploitation consisted of at least three sexual acts against a female minor including kissing and inappropriate touching of her body.

They further alleged the woman also showed the victim sexually inappropriate videos.

On Wednesday, the court heard the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had now taken conduct of the case and laid further charges.

In addition to the original charge, the woman now stands accused of two further counts of persistent sexual exploitation and four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse.

Those offences are alleged to have occurred between August 2015 and April 2016.

Craig Caldicott, for the woman, asked his client’s bail be varied to remove a clause prohibiting her from contacting people within the cheerleading community.

“If she is at an event and people come up to talk to her, she automatically falls into breach of her bail through no action of her own,” he said.

He said his client was “very cognisant” of her restrictions and had shown she was capable of obeying them.

“Up until today, there was only one charge … we were only made aware of the new allegations two days ago,” he said.

Prosecutors, however, said the woman’s bail conditions should be broadened to ban contact with even more people, and provided a list of names to the court.

“There are other witnesses who have come forward where we say there was offending, but charges have not been laid at this stage,” they said.

“There will be further consideration to charges being laid in relation to those people.”

The state’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, said the prosecution’s list comprised 14 people, and that a decision on charges needed to be made soon.

She remanded the woman on continuing bail until September.

Outside court, Mr Caldicott said his client maintained she was innocent and that the charges had arisen from a rivalry between two cheerleading clubs.