Man linked to Adelaide youth detention centre accused of abusing 29 children over two decades

A 73‑year‑old man with historical access to Adelaide’s former Magill Training Centre has been arrested and charged with dozens of child sex offences allegedly committed across more than two decades. Detectives from Task Force Libero arrested the man from Adelaide’s western suburbs on Thursday, accusing him of crimes against 29 victims between 1978 and 2003. Many of the alleged victims were children at the time. He has been charged with 55 offences, including multiple counts of rape, unlawful sexual intercourse, sexual abuse of a child, gross indecency and indecent assault. Police have said he was not a government employee but had access to the now‑closed youth detention facility.

The centre was opened in 1869 and was also known as the Boys Reformatory, McNally Training Centre and South Australian Youth Training Centre (SAYTC) before it was closed in 2012. An early 2000s inquiry into children in care found the state “failed to protect some of the children in its care from sexual abuse”.

Multiple children involved in the inquiry were residents at the Magill Youth Training Centre. The centre’s closure was spurred by United Nations comments that it was “a living human rights abuse”. Task Force Libero was launched last year to investigate historical child sexual abuse linked to the Magill Training Centre and other state‑run care facilities.

Assistant Commissioner Stuart McLean said the arrest reflects SAPOL’s commitment to pursuing allegations regardless of how long ago they occurred. “The passage of time does not diminish the seriousness with which SAPOL treats these allegations,” he said. “They will be thoroughly investigated and, where the evidence supports it, offenders will be brought before the courts.” Police are urging anyone with information about abuse connected to the Magill Training Centre to come forward, and said callers can remain anonymous. The 73-year-old man is expected to face Adelaide Magistrates Court soon.