Former Cricket Australia employee charged with sexually touching men

Cricket News
Steven
November 24, 2022

Melbourne Cricket Ground (Image Credit: Twitter)

In what comes as a shocking piece of news, former Cricket Australia employee, Tim Whittaker has been charged with sexual crimes. Apparently, he has been accused of sexually two men at his home in two separate years, 2016 and 2019. Whittaker is the former Cricket Australia head of communications. It is said both victims were intoxicated and were the co-employees with Whittaker.

According to the prosecutor for Victoria Police, Bianca Moleta, Whittaker and a workmate had attended a CA end-of-season function on March 15, 2019. The party group moved to a pub to continue their celebrations. Some of them went to Whittaker’s Abbotsford home at about 2 am the next day. Moleta added that the complainant fell asleep on the couch at about 4.30 am and woke up in Whittaker’s bed, where the accused allegedly sexually touched him.

Notably, the accused had completed his employment with CA hours before the alleged crime.

Whittaker committed the same crime in 2016 as well

In a separate incident, the former CA’s head of communications is alleged to have sexually touched another co-employee in 2016. Moleta said Whittaker and a Cricket Victoria staff member had been drinking at a pub on January 8. After this, the duo returned to the accused’s house for more drinks.

The complainant went to sleep in Whittaker’s bed and woke to find the accused sexually touching him. Notably, years after keeping mum about this, the victim from the 2016 incident came forward late last year. He made the decision after he came to know about the other victim. It is important to note that the victims didn’t report to Whittaker. Whittaker, though, had offered one of the victims, a character reference in a job application for the state association.

Defense counsel Mark Sturges said Whittaker had demonstrated good character before the alleged offending and had since undertaken steps to address his alcohol and mental health issues.

Whittaker has since moved to Queensland to live with his parents and had found employment, the court was told.