Man accused of sexually abusing children over decades
A man accused of sexually abusing 30 children over three decades had an arrangement with a child protection agency to house and provide schooling for minors.
South Australian Trevor James Scroop, 65, is alleged to have travelled multiple times to Northern Territory communities to take back children who he then abused.
He was arrested and charged with two child sex offences in 2023.
After an ongoing joint SA and NT police investigation, further charges have been laid totalling 44 sex offences against 30 children from 1989 to 2023.
The charges include sexual abuse of a child, unlawful sexual intercourse, indecent and aggravated indecent assault, aggravated assault and possessing child exploitation material.
Scroop appeared in the SA District Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The lifting of suppression orders means he can now be named.
Scroop, a former ABC cameraman, had access to dozens of mostly Aboriginal boys under an arrangement with SA's Department for Child Protection to house them, the ABC reported.
SA Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Catherine Hilliard told reporters in Darwin on Wednesday it was a "complex and incredibly confronting investigation".
"The man had been providing accommodation and schooling in South Australia for many young people from the Northern Territory over an extended period of time," she said.
"The privacy and safety of the victims remains our number one priority. We have been providing updates, along with support, to everyone effected."
Northern Territory Police Force Assistant Commissioner Michael White said the alleged offending was "abhorrent" and its scale disturbing.
He assured the NT community the alleged offender was in custody and was believed to have acted alone.
The two commissioners urged anyone with further information on the man's alleged offending to contact police as investigations continue.
They said ongoing court suppression orders meant police were restricted in what they could say about the victims and their families.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said anyone who committed those types of crimes should know "we want the full force of the law to be imposed upon them with only the consideration of victims in mind."
Scroop is scheduled to reappear in court in August.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
13YARN 13 92 76
A man accused of sexually abusing 30 children over three decades had an arrangement with a child protection agency to house and provide schooling for minors.
South Australian Trevor James Scroop, 65, is alleged to have travelled multiple times to Northern Territory communities to take back children who he then abused.
He was arrested and charged with two child sex offences in 2023.
After an ongoing joint SA and NT police investigation, further charges have been laid totalling 44 sex offences against 30 children from 1989 to 2023.
The charges include sexual abuse of a child, unlawful sexual intercourse, indecent and aggravated indecent assault, aggravated assault and possessing child exploitation material.
Scroop appeared in the SA District Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The lifting of suppression orders means he can now be named.
Scroop, a former ABC cameraman, had access to dozens of mostly Aboriginal boys under an arrangement with SA's Department for Child Protection to house them, the ABC reported.
SA Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Catherine Hilliard told reporters in Darwin on Wednesday it was a "complex and incredibly confronting investigation".
"The man had been providing accommodation and schooling in South Australia for many young people from the Northern Territory over an extended period of time," she said.
"The privacy and safety of the victims remains our number one priority. We have been providing updates, along with support, to everyone effected."
Northern Territory Police Force Assistant Commissioner Michael White said the alleged offending was "abhorrent" and its scale disturbing.
He assured the NT community the alleged offender was in custody and was believed to have acted alone.
The two commissioners urged anyone with further information on the man's alleged offending to contact police as investigations continue.
They said ongoing court suppression orders meant police were restricted in what they could say about the victims and their families.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said anyone who committed those types of crimes should know "we want the full force of the law to be imposed upon them with only the consideration of victims in mind."
Scroop is scheduled to reappear in court in August.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
13YARN 13 92 76
A man accused of sexually abusing 30 children over three decades had an arrangement with a child protection agency to house and provide schooling for minors.
South Australian Trevor James Scroop, 65, is alleged to have travelled multiple times to Northern Territory communities to take back children who he then abused.
He was arrested and charged with two child sex offences in 2023.
After an ongoing joint SA and NT police investigation, further charges have been laid totalling 44 sex offences against 30 children from 1989 to 2023.
The charges include sexual abuse of a child, unlawful sexual intercourse, indecent and aggravated indecent assault, aggravated assault and possessing child exploitation material.
Scroop appeared in the SA District Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The lifting of suppression orders means he can now be named.
Scroop, a former ABC cameraman, had access to dozens of mostly Aboriginal boys under an arrangement with SA's Department for Child Protection to house them, the ABC reported.
SA Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Catherine Hilliard told reporters in Darwin on Wednesday it was a "complex and incredibly confronting investigation".
"The man had been providing accommodation and schooling in South Australia for many young people from the Northern Territory over an extended period of time," she said.
"The privacy and safety of the victims remains our number one priority. We have been providing updates, along with support, to everyone effected."
Northern Territory Police Force Assistant Commissioner Michael White said the alleged offending was "abhorrent" and its scale disturbing.
He assured the NT community the alleged offender was in custody and was believed to have acted alone.
The two commissioners urged anyone with further information on the man's alleged offending to contact police as investigations continue.
They said ongoing court suppression orders meant police were restricted in what they could say about the victims and their families.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said anyone who committed those types of crimes should know "we want the full force of the law to be imposed upon them with only the consideration of victims in mind."
Scroop is scheduled to reappear in court in August.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
13YARN 13 92 76
A man accused of sexually abusing 30 children over three decades had an arrangement with a child protection agency to house and provide schooling for minors.
South Australian Trevor James Scroop, 65, is alleged to have travelled multiple times to Northern Territory communities to take back children who he then abused.
He was arrested and charged with two child sex offences in 2023.
After an ongoing joint SA and NT police investigation, further charges have been laid totalling 44 sex offences against 30 children from 1989 to 2023.
The charges include sexual abuse of a child, unlawful sexual intercourse, indecent and aggravated indecent assault, aggravated assault and possessing child exploitation material.
Scroop appeared in the SA District Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The lifting of suppression orders means he can now be named.
Scroop, a former ABC cameraman, had access to dozens of mostly Aboriginal boys under an arrangement with SA's Department for Child Protection to house them, the ABC reported.
SA Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Catherine Hilliard told reporters in Darwin on Wednesday it was a "complex and incredibly confronting investigation".
"The man had been providing accommodation and schooling in South Australia for many young people from the Northern Territory over an extended period of time," she said.
"The privacy and safety of the victims remains our number one priority. We have been providing updates, along with support, to everyone effected."
Northern Territory Police Force Assistant Commissioner Michael White said the alleged offending was "abhorrent" and its scale disturbing.
He assured the NT community the alleged offender was in custody and was believed to have acted alone.
The two commissioners urged anyone with further information on the man's alleged offending to contact police as investigations continue.
They said ongoing court suppression orders meant police were restricted in what they could say about the victims and their families.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said anyone who committed those types of crimes should know "we want the full force of the law to be imposed upon them with only the consideration of victims in mind."
Scroop is scheduled to reappear in court in August.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
13YARN 13 92 76
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
23 minutes ago
- ABC News
Alan Kohler Explains: Superannuation has become a de facto tax dodge for the wealthy
ABC iview Home Watch all your favourite ABC programs on ABC iview. More from ABC We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Australia concerned over escalation as US strikes Iran
Australia has expressed concerns tensions in the Middle East could evolve into a broader conflict after the US joined Israel's offensive and attacked Iranian nuclear sites. President Donald Trump revealed the US had struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday through social media posts, explicitly aligning himself with Israel's campaign. Prior to Mr Trump's announcement, Australian officials across the political spectrum had grown concerned about the rapidly intensifying situation. "We are worried about the prospect for escalation here and this entering into some wider kind of conflict," Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Sky News on Sunday. "We've been urging dialogue and diplomacy and we continue to do that now." At least 430 people have been killed and another 3500 injured in Iran according to Iranian media outlet Nour News, while local Israeli authorities have reported 24 civilian deaths and almost 1300 injuries. Though he hoped Iran would negotiate and surrender its nuclear program, opposition spokesman for home affairs Andrew Hastie predicted a strike would occur, mere minutes before the US president made his announcement. "I suspect diplomacy is probably going to fail here and we're going to see a strike of some sort," he told ABC's Insiders. "The next two weeks is going to be tough for innocent people in Israel and Iran who are caught in the middle of this war. "Iran needs to come to the table, or it's going to be a settlement by force and more people will die." The federal government has repeatedly insisted Australia is not a central player in the conflict, which was triggered in mid June when the Israeli military launched attacks on Iran in what it claimed was a bid to wipe out Iran's nuclear program. Australia has deployed defence assets to the region to assist in evacuation efforts, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong repeatedly maintaining they are not there to engage in combat. Mr Hastie, a former Special Air Service Regiment troop commander during the war in Afghanistan, said he would be reluctant to send in troops and called for Australia to more clearly define its alliance with the US. "I think we need to talk about operationalising the alliance - building guardrails for combat operations and of course, defining our sovereignty," he said. "We're not just a vassal state, we're an ally and a partner." Mr Marles maintained Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program was "most definitely a threat" to the peace and stability of the world, while also expressing concern about the conflict's escalation. "We recognise Israel's right to defend itself and we very much acknowledge the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents," he said. But now that it appears the dominoes have begun to fall, the world could soon have to reckon with the consequences, Mr Hastie warned. "I think it's very dangerous and risky," he said. "We could see regime change, we could see a collapse of the Iranian regime, we'd see large scale migration and refugees across the world but particularly Europe." About 2600 Australians in Iran are seeking assisted departures from the region, alongside about 1200 in Israel as the government urges travellers not to venture to either nation. Staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs have evacuated the Tehran embassy and are helping Australians leave through the border in Azerbaijan. Some Australians have already left through land crossings but the government is also poised to help citizens leave once the airspace over both nations re-opens. With Reuters Australia has expressed concerns tensions in the Middle East could evolve into a broader conflict after the US joined Israel's offensive and attacked Iranian nuclear sites. President Donald Trump revealed the US had struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday through social media posts, explicitly aligning himself with Israel's campaign. Prior to Mr Trump's announcement, Australian officials across the political spectrum had grown concerned about the rapidly intensifying situation. "We are worried about the prospect for escalation here and this entering into some wider kind of conflict," Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Sky News on Sunday. "We've been urging dialogue and diplomacy and we continue to do that now." At least 430 people have been killed and another 3500 injured in Iran according to Iranian media outlet Nour News, while local Israeli authorities have reported 24 civilian deaths and almost 1300 injuries. Though he hoped Iran would negotiate and surrender its nuclear program, opposition spokesman for home affairs Andrew Hastie predicted a strike would occur, mere minutes before the US president made his announcement. "I suspect diplomacy is probably going to fail here and we're going to see a strike of some sort," he told ABC's Insiders. "The next two weeks is going to be tough for innocent people in Israel and Iran who are caught in the middle of this war. "Iran needs to come to the table, or it's going to be a settlement by force and more people will die." The federal government has repeatedly insisted Australia is not a central player in the conflict, which was triggered in mid June when the Israeli military launched attacks on Iran in what it claimed was a bid to wipe out Iran's nuclear program. Australia has deployed defence assets to the region to assist in evacuation efforts, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong repeatedly maintaining they are not there to engage in combat. Mr Hastie, a former Special Air Service Regiment troop commander during the war in Afghanistan, said he would be reluctant to send in troops and called for Australia to more clearly define its alliance with the US. "I think we need to talk about operationalising the alliance - building guardrails for combat operations and of course, defining our sovereignty," he said. "We're not just a vassal state, we're an ally and a partner." Mr Marles maintained Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program was "most definitely a threat" to the peace and stability of the world, while also expressing concern about the conflict's escalation. "We recognise Israel's right to defend itself and we very much acknowledge the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents," he said. But now that it appears the dominoes have begun to fall, the world could soon have to reckon with the consequences, Mr Hastie warned. "I think it's very dangerous and risky," he said. "We could see regime change, we could see a collapse of the Iranian regime, we'd see large scale migration and refugees across the world but particularly Europe." About 2600 Australians in Iran are seeking assisted departures from the region, alongside about 1200 in Israel as the government urges travellers not to venture to either nation. Staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs have evacuated the Tehran embassy and are helping Australians leave through the border in Azerbaijan. Some Australians have already left through land crossings but the government is also poised to help citizens leave once the airspace over both nations re-opens. With Reuters Australia has expressed concerns tensions in the Middle East could evolve into a broader conflict after the US joined Israel's offensive and attacked Iranian nuclear sites. President Donald Trump revealed the US had struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday through social media posts, explicitly aligning himself with Israel's campaign. Prior to Mr Trump's announcement, Australian officials across the political spectrum had grown concerned about the rapidly intensifying situation. "We are worried about the prospect for escalation here and this entering into some wider kind of conflict," Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Sky News on Sunday. "We've been urging dialogue and diplomacy and we continue to do that now." At least 430 people have been killed and another 3500 injured in Iran according to Iranian media outlet Nour News, while local Israeli authorities have reported 24 civilian deaths and almost 1300 injuries. Though he hoped Iran would negotiate and surrender its nuclear program, opposition spokesman for home affairs Andrew Hastie predicted a strike would occur, mere minutes before the US president made his announcement. "I suspect diplomacy is probably going to fail here and we're going to see a strike of some sort," he told ABC's Insiders. "The next two weeks is going to be tough for innocent people in Israel and Iran who are caught in the middle of this war. "Iran needs to come to the table, or it's going to be a settlement by force and more people will die." The federal government has repeatedly insisted Australia is not a central player in the conflict, which was triggered in mid June when the Israeli military launched attacks on Iran in what it claimed was a bid to wipe out Iran's nuclear program. Australia has deployed defence assets to the region to assist in evacuation efforts, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong repeatedly maintaining they are not there to engage in combat. Mr Hastie, a former Special Air Service Regiment troop commander during the war in Afghanistan, said he would be reluctant to send in troops and called for Australia to more clearly define its alliance with the US. "I think we need to talk about operationalising the alliance - building guardrails for combat operations and of course, defining our sovereignty," he said. "We're not just a vassal state, we're an ally and a partner." Mr Marles maintained Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program was "most definitely a threat" to the peace and stability of the world, while also expressing concern about the conflict's escalation. "We recognise Israel's right to defend itself and we very much acknowledge the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents," he said. But now that it appears the dominoes have begun to fall, the world could soon have to reckon with the consequences, Mr Hastie warned. "I think it's very dangerous and risky," he said. "We could see regime change, we could see a collapse of the Iranian regime, we'd see large scale migration and refugees across the world but particularly Europe." About 2600 Australians in Iran are seeking assisted departures from the region, alongside about 1200 in Israel as the government urges travellers not to venture to either nation. Staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs have evacuated the Tehran embassy and are helping Australians leave through the border in Azerbaijan. Some Australians have already left through land crossings but the government is also poised to help citizens leave once the airspace over both nations re-opens. With Reuters Australia has expressed concerns tensions in the Middle East could evolve into a broader conflict after the US joined Israel's offensive and attacked Iranian nuclear sites. President Donald Trump revealed the US had struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday through social media posts, explicitly aligning himself with Israel's campaign. Prior to Mr Trump's announcement, Australian officials across the political spectrum had grown concerned about the rapidly intensifying situation. "We are worried about the prospect for escalation here and this entering into some wider kind of conflict," Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Sky News on Sunday. "We've been urging dialogue and diplomacy and we continue to do that now." At least 430 people have been killed and another 3500 injured in Iran according to Iranian media outlet Nour News, while local Israeli authorities have reported 24 civilian deaths and almost 1300 injuries. Though he hoped Iran would negotiate and surrender its nuclear program, opposition spokesman for home affairs Andrew Hastie predicted a strike would occur, mere minutes before the US president made his announcement. "I suspect diplomacy is probably going to fail here and we're going to see a strike of some sort," he told ABC's Insiders. "The next two weeks is going to be tough for innocent people in Israel and Iran who are caught in the middle of this war. "Iran needs to come to the table, or it's going to be a settlement by force and more people will die." The federal government has repeatedly insisted Australia is not a central player in the conflict, which was triggered in mid June when the Israeli military launched attacks on Iran in what it claimed was a bid to wipe out Iran's nuclear program. Australia has deployed defence assets to the region to assist in evacuation efforts, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong repeatedly maintaining they are not there to engage in combat. Mr Hastie, a former Special Air Service Regiment troop commander during the war in Afghanistan, said he would be reluctant to send in troops and called for Australia to more clearly define its alliance with the US. "I think we need to talk about operationalising the alliance - building guardrails for combat operations and of course, defining our sovereignty," he said. "We're not just a vassal state, we're an ally and a partner." Mr Marles maintained Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program was "most definitely a threat" to the peace and stability of the world, while also expressing concern about the conflict's escalation. "We recognise Israel's right to defend itself and we very much acknowledge the risk that the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program represents," he said. But now that it appears the dominoes have begun to fall, the world could soon have to reckon with the consequences, Mr Hastie warned. "I think it's very dangerous and risky," he said. "We could see regime change, we could see a collapse of the Iranian regime, we'd see large scale migration and refugees across the world but particularly Europe." About 2600 Australians in Iran are seeking assisted departures from the region, alongside about 1200 in Israel as the government urges travellers not to venture to either nation. Staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs have evacuated the Tehran embassy and are helping Australians leave through the border in Azerbaijan. Some Australians have already left through land crossings but the government is also poised to help citizens leave once the airspace over both nations re-opens. With Reuters
ABC News
9 hours ago
- ABC News
Songs Of Praise: Crathie Kirk: Mountains And Majesty
ABC iview Home Watch all your favourite ABC programs on ABC iview. More from ABC We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
