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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

Retail manager faces 12 new charges after more junior employees come forward

A former retail manager who allegedly sexually assaulted junior employees is facing 12 new charges after more alleged victims have come forward.

Scott Ian Whittaker, 44, was not present when his case was briefly mentioned in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday, July 7.

Scott Ian Whittaker leaves court on a previous occasion. Picture by Blake Foden

He is currently serving a sentence in jail for an unrelated crime.

In April the case first appeared in court after Whittaker allegedly committed acts of indecency on two teenage girls in 2017, when the man was 35 years old and the manager of a large retail chain store in Belconnen.

He was their direct manager, and police allege he used his position at the store to change shifts so he could work with the two girls.

The alleged crimes against the two girls are said to have occurred in Whittaker's O'Connor home.

The alleged sexual assault was initially reported to police in 2021 but he was not charged at the time.

Following a review of reports of sexual offences to police in the ACT, and with the support of the two alleged victims, officers reopened the investigation.

On Tuesday, Whittaker's lawyer entered pleas of not guilty to the 12 new charges on his client's behalf. The new charges relate to additional alleged victims who were junior employees.

The new charges are eight counts of committing an act of indecency on a person under 16, and one count each of common assault, reckless threat to kill a person, using the internet to deprave young people and supplying liquor to young person at a public place.

Police have encouraged anyone with information about the behaviour of Whittaker while he was employed at multiple retail chain stores in Belconnen Westfield between 2017 and 2020 to contact them on 131 444, quoting 6804503.

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