A senior referee at a national soccer tournament in Canberra has appeared in court charged with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage referee at this week’s Kanga Cup event.
Sixty-six-year-old David Brooke was charged with committing an act of indecency on a young person under his special care when he appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court yesterday.
ACT Policing say the alleged offence occurred prior to the start of the soccer tournament, which has been running across multiple grounds in Canberra this week.
The Kanga Cup is the largest international youth football tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, with thousands of children descending on the nation’s capital to take part in hundreds of games across the week of competition.
“Police will allege the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon (1 July 2023) with several people witnessing it,” Police said in a statement.
“[Wednesday] night, officers attended the man’s accommodation and placed the 66-year-old under arrest. The New Zealand resident has been charged with one count of indecency against a young person under special care. Â Â
“Enquiries relating to this matter are ongoing.”
Mr Brooke was granted bail. He will reappear in court on 31 July.
