A former prominent Canberra basketball coach has been accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a junior player more than a decade ago.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Jesamine Alice Wheeler was arrested by ACT Policing's Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team on Thursday.
On Friday, the 39-year-old was granted bail in the ACT Magistrates Court after being charged with four counts of sexual intercourse with a child, and single counts of choking and possessing an offensive weapon.
Wheeler, who is yet to enter pleas to the historical allegations, helped establish the Gungahlin Flames basketball club.
![Jesamine Wheeler leaves court on Friday. Picture by Tim Piccione Jesamine Wheeler leaves court on Friday. Picture by Tim Piccione](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/171518670/818192d3-c63f-4e8a-9c32-3b86369a593e.JPG/r0_0_5568_3143_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Wheeler's alleged victim has consented to being identifiable in media reporting.
Police documents tendered to the court claim Wheeler, then a 20-year-old representative basketball coach, met the alleged victim in 2005 when she was 11 years old.
Wheeler was "regarded as a mentor to the young female players and was often seen as someone in whom they could confide", those documents said.
She is accused of sexually abusing the alleged victim on four separate occasions in 2009, when the junior player was 15 years old.
![Jesamine Wheeler with defence lawyer Kamy Saeedi. Picture by Tim Piccione Jesamine Wheeler with defence lawyer Kamy Saeedi. Picture by Tim Piccione](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/171518670/7491c73a-91d7-4930-8ce2-ed0213ac3d67.JPG/r1448_495_5061_2586_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
One alleged abuse is said to have occurred in the presence of other junior players who were asleep.
Police claim Wheeler gained the child's trust over several years and spent time with her through private coaching before increasing their contact.
She is accused of constantly seeing the alleged victim, despite the girl's mother eventually warning her to stay away or police would become involved.
Police claim Wheeler repeatedly told the alleged victim to keep their "relationship" a secret.
"The defendant told [the child] that the defendant could get into trouble due to her being [the child's] coach and due to their age difference," court documents said.
![Jesamine Wheeler playing for the Belconnen Ramblers. File picture Jesamine Wheeler playing for the Belconnen Ramblers. File picture](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/171518670/19783f2c-7f67-4b41-aa31-a300224a1c1a.jpg/r0_29_1748_1334_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It's alleged that on one occasion, Wheeler snuck the girl into her parents' home to abuse her.
When the child's phone was taken away for an unrelated reason, it is said Wheeler purchased her a new one so the pair could continue communicating.
A year after the alleged sexual abuses, Wheeler is accused of tattooing her's and the child's initials entwined in a love heart on her inner thigh. She allegedly always covered the "secret" tattoo when swimming in public.
Sometime between 2013 and 2014, when the alleged victim was 20 years old, Wheeler is accused of attacking her.
The former coach allegedly lunged at the other woman, pushed her into a wall, and choked her.
![Jesamine Wheeler after being granted bail. Picture by Tim Piccione Jesamine Wheeler after being granted bail. Picture by Tim Piccione](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/171518670/6b2f90b0-9731-4257-b863-38cadbbaa2de.JPG/r0_260_5568_3403_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Wheeler is accused of holding a knife to the alleged victim's throat during another argument in that same year.
The alleged victim first reported the matter to police in mid-2020 but that initial complaint was finalised months later. She then made a separate complaint to Basketball ACT in 2023.
Police documents state Wheeler was banned for life from involvement in the sport after an investigation by Basketball Australia into the allegations. The details of that report have not been made public.
In December 2023, the investigation into the criminal case was reopened in consultation with the territory's prosecuting office and following the Sexual Assault (Police) Review.
On Friday, a prosecutor asked for a supervision bail condition due to "concerns conveyed to police concerning history of exhibiting violence towards the complainant".
The court also heard about Wheeler's alleged violent offending being linked to mental health concerns.
While Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker did not order the woman be supervised while on conditional release, she imposed a condition for her not to contact a long list of witnesses.
Defence lawyer Kamy Saeedi said his client was reluctant to enter pleas to the charges without seeing at least parts of a police brief of evidence, some of which Wheeler is set to receive within the month.
The case is set to return to court next month.
Following the arrest, ACT Policing have reminded the community there is no statute of limitations for sexual offences in the ACT.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, you can report to police by attending a police station or calling ACT Policing Communications on 131 444. You can also submit an online report for historical sexual assault for incidents that occurred more than six months ago.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Canberra Rape Crisis Centre 6247 2525; Bravehearts 1800 272 831; Blue Knot Foundation 1300 657 380.