Former basketball ump Dana Whittaker faces court after indecent assault of young teen boy

The former Basketball SA referee used her status to prey on an innocent 14-year-old boy – sending nude images to a phone she gave him, a court has heard.

A former Basketball SA says she’s disgusted with herself after giving a phone to a 14-year-old boy and sending him nude images despite being in a “position of authority”, a court has heard.

Dana Louise Whittaker, 25, appeared in the District Court on Wednesday in front of Judge Geraldine Davison after pleading guilty to the aggravated indecent assault of an aspiring teen basketballer.

Whittaker leaves the District Court in December. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Prosecution told the court there was “no dispute about the factual basis” and submitted an immediate custodial sentence was “the only appropriate sentence for a matter like this”.

“The defendant had supplied a mobile phone to the victim and engaged in sexualised messaging with the victim including sending and receiving naked photographs,” they said.

“In relation to the prosecution’s attitude on sentencing, suspension is precluded (and) home detention is precluded.”

Whittaker, of Woodcroft, was due to face trial in October last year, however the matter was resolved after she entered a guilty plea to a charge of aggravated indecent assault.

A charge of aggravated procuring a child for sexual activity was withdrawn as a result.

She will be sentenced next month.

A charge sheet alleges the offending happened in 2023 in the southern suburbs and the victim was aged 14 at the time of the offending.

On Wednesday, the court heard Whittaker had left her role at Basketball SA and was now working at a supermarket.

Rob Walker, for Whittaker, told the court the offending was “plainly serious” but submitted it was “towards the lower end of the scale”.

“It was a single kiss that lasted for about ten seconds,” Mr Walker said.

“The messages which form the background for these offences in my submission – while over a period of time – also fall to the lower end of the range of objective seriousness. The messages start in a way which appear to show each of the parties on a similar plain, in fact describing each of their romantic interests.

“The victim is about the same age as her younger brother … She is disgusted by what she’s done because of the close age between her brother and the victim. It’s brought home the seriousness of what she did.”

Whittaker will return to court next month for sentencing.

Originally published as Former basketball ump Dana Whittaker faces court after indecent assault of young teen boy