Why we can't picture or name three of the four teenage males accused of gang raping a girl in Sydney
While Australians across the country have called for the four young men who allegedly sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl to be 'named and shamed' three won't be.
This week police arrested and charged four males, aged 14, 16, 18 and 19, over the alleged horrific sexual assault on December 15, 2024 in Western Sydney.
Only the 19-year-old, Adam Abdul-Hamid, can be named because of the ages of the accused.
He was charged with five counts of aggravated sex assault - offender in company with other person/s.
Many have asked why three of the males cannot be named and are being protected by media and shielded from the public.
In New South Wales, the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 forbids the publication or broadcasting of the names of people under 18 involved in criminal proceedings.
It was put in place to protect a juvenile offender's long-term reputation in the hope they will be rehabilitated and be able to re-enter society without the stigma associated with criminal charges.
The public is never likely to find out who the three boys who allegedly committed the shocking gang rape are.
'The idea is that people under 18 deserve a second chance and should not have their reputations permanently damaged due to mistakes made in 'childhood',' Nina Funnel a journalist and survivor advocate said on News.com.au.
'And for petty, non-violent crimes, this may make sense.
'But when it comes to allegations of gang-rape, is the law keeping up with community expectations?'
She explained there was a recent case of a woman in Sydney who was sexually assaulted by a teenage boy who was also charged with sexually assaulting up to six girls.
He was younger than 18 when the crimes occurred so his identity was protected, but once he turned 18 he went on to be charged again with another offense but was found not guilty due to a hung jury.
'If a member of the public was to look him up, they would find a man who has no criminal record,' Ms Funnel said.
'There are other public interest and public safety arguments for naming convicted offenders.
'Specifically, when media do publish the names of men and women who have been charged with, or found guilty of, sexual violence, this can empower other victims in the community to come forward and report: both in general and specifically in relation to that named offender.'
Hundreds of Aussies claimed the teenagers allegedly involved in the gang rape should be 'tried as adults' due to the severity of the alleged crime.
'Adult crime. Adult time. These creatures are old enough to understand their actions,' one person wrote.
'If they're old enough to sexually abuse a girl, they're old enough to be tried as adults,' a second commented. Others simply commented: 'Adult crime, adult time'.
'The 14-year-old and 16-year-old should be tried as adults,' said another.
'They are old enough to know their actions and have consequences - especially ones this bad.'
What we know about the alleged offender we can name
Abdul-Hamid, 19, was arrested at a Housing Department property on Monaro Place in Heckenberg, in Sydney's southwest, at about 6am on Tuesday.
The former Sadleir Public School student had been working as a barber in Liverpool at the time of his alleged offending.
A neighbour told Daily Mail Australia he was a 'pretty quiet' man and his family 'keep to themselves'.
When she last spoke to him a year ago, Abdul-Hamid told her he was working at Westfield Liverpool - the same shopping centre where his alleged victim's ordeal began in December.
Footage of Abdul-Hamid's arrest showed his family gathered outside the home as detectives escorted him to a police vehicle.
One male family member was heard screaming 'why... why are you arresting him' as Abdul-Hamid was led away from the property.
Other family members attempted to restrain the man as he continued to hurl insults at the officers.
'F**k your mothers,' the man said in Arabic before yelling 'all of you' in English.
A woman was also seen using her phone to film police as they arrested the 19-year-old.
'I'll go this way, don't touch me. Don't touch me. Don't touch me or sexual assault me,' the woman said.
As police loaded Abdul-Hamid into the back of the vehicle, the 19-year-old calmly told his family in Arabic: 'Don't say a word to anyone, yeah.'
The woman echoed Abdul-Hamid's words and responded in Arabic 'don't say a word to anyone' before yelling in English: 'Don't trust these dogs, you can't trust these f***ing dogs.'
Abdul-Hamid was listed to appear for the first time at Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday morning following his arrest on Tuesday.
Abdul-Hamid's solicitor Muhammad Tehsledar told the court he did not require his client to appear via audio-visual link when the matter was heard.
Mr Tehseldar made no application for bail but said he would be making a release order application for Abdul-Hamid in coming days.
Outside court, Mr Tehseldar said Abdul-Hamid maintained his innocence and it would be inappropriate to make any further comment.
The case was adjourned to Campbelltown Local Court on August 13.
What we know about the alleged gang rape
In the December incident, the 17-year-old girl was allegedly approached by a 16-year-old boy at about 5.30pm at a shopping centre in Liverpool, 31km southwest of Sydney's CBD.
The 16-year-old allegedly followed the girl to her car and she reluctantly let him inside before he began sexually assaulting her.
A short time later, the male asked to be driven 5km to Wheat Park in Sadleir, to which the victim agreed on the understanding he would get out of the car when they arrived.
At the park, two other males entered the car, and they also allegedly sexually assaulted the girl.
A fourth male then arrived in another vehicle, and the alleged sexual assault continued as the girl was driven around.
The six-hour ordeal ended at about 11.30pm when the males departed and left the girl in her car.
'The four of them acted together, creating fear on the victim, degradating her, whilst the others offended against her, and at times, there was more than one person offending against this poor young girl,' State Crime Command's Sex Crime Squad commander Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said.
'They haven't stopped at any point during that six hours and said this is wrong to any of their co-offenders. And that's the difficult part to come with, that four people could act together and keep going at that type of offending over such a long time.'
'They haven't stopped at any point during that six hours and said this is wrong to any of their co-offenders. And that's the difficult part to come with, that four people could act together and keep going at that type of offending over such a long time.'
The teenager immediately contacted a friend who took her to Liverpool Police Station to report the attack.
The other alleged offenders we can't name
The two younger males faced a children's court that same month, while months of investigation led to the two older alleged offenders being arrested on Tuesday.
Officers arrested a 16-year-old boy at a home in Condell Park in southwest Sydney, on December 20, 2024.
He was taken to Bankstown Police Station where he was charged with 24 offences including nine counts of sexual intercourse without consent and eight counts of aggravated sex assault - offender in company with other person/s.
Detectives arrested a 14-year-old boy at a home in Miller, also in Sydney's southwest, on the same day.
He was charged with 10 offences including seven counts of aggravated sex assault - offender in company with other person/s.
Both the 16-year-old and 14-year-old boys were refused bail and faced a children's court on December 21, 2024.
At about 6am on Tuesday, detectives, along with the Public Order and Riot Squad, simultaneously executed two warrants at homes in Sadleir and Heckenberg - both in Sydney's south-west.
Police arrested an 18-year-old man at the Sadleir property before taking him to Liverpool Police Station.
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