Senior referee at Kanga Cup accused of sexually assaulting teenager

David Brooke, 66, leaves the courthouse wearing a Kanga Cup hoodie. Photo: Albert McKnight.

CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to an alleged sexual assault.

A senior referee at the Kanga Cup, a national football tournament in Canberra, has been granted bail after being charged with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage referee.

David Brooke, a New Zealand resident, was charged with committing an act of indecency on a young person under his special care when he appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday (6 July).

The 66-year-old’s alleged offence was claimed to have taken place on Saturday (1 July).

Earlier, ACT Policing said on Tuesday (4 July), officers had received reports of alleged incidents that occurred during team building activities conducted before the tournament.

“Police will allege the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon (1 July) with several people witnessing it,” a police spokesperson said.

Officers went to where Mr Brooke had been staying on Wednesday night and placed him under arrest.

In court, Mr Brooke’s lawyer, Legal Aid’s Georgia Le Couteur, said it was her understanding the prosecution would not oppose bail if he were released on conditions agreed between the parties.

Magistrate Robert Cook told him that he must comply with the conditions and granted bail, adjourning the matter to 31 July for a plea to be entered.

Mr Brooke left the courthouse wearing a grey hoodie emblazed with the words ‘Kanga Cup’.