Youth worker ‘slipped through security check’
South Australian Education Minister Jennifer Rankine has admitted a youth worker slipped through a bungled security check before allegedly raping a student.
The youth worker was charged with seven counts of statutory rape on January 15, with the alleged victim being a 16-year-old girl.
Parents were only informed today, despite police always being satisfied their investigations would not be hampered.
Minister Rankine said the screening process was bungled, and would have identified a minor criminal past, not related to child protection matters.
“…certainly, proper processes weren’t undertaken,” she said.
The incident file was delivered to the previous Education Minister’s office on January 25, during Grace Portolesi’s annual leave.
The new minister was only informed 10 days ago, despite it being in a handover briefing note.
