Darren Adam Abela, a prominent community netball coach in Victoria, Australia, has pleaded guilty to multiple child sex offenses. The 50-year-old admitted to his crimes at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday.
Abela, who has coached female netball teams for over three decades, committed the offenses in Melbourne's west more than a decade ago. The charges include indecent acts with a child, sexually penetrating a child over 10 but under 16, and sexual penetration of a 16-year-old under his care. Court details described Abela kissing, "grinding" on, and masturbating in the presence of a child.
Victoria Police sex crime detectives had charged Abela with historical child sex offenses on October 10 of the previous year. Before his downfall, Abela had led various Victorian teams, including the Westside Saints Netball Club for 27 years. The club offered him a social media tribute upon his departure in 2021, stating his dedication had helped many players progress to elite levels. There is no suggestion the club was aware of his offending at the time.
After leaving the Saints, Abela briefly coached the Melton Bloods netball team. The club stated in a June 7 social media post that Abela became uncontactable in February 2025. Netball Victoria later advised the Melton FNC that Abela was under investigation and not permitted to coach. The Melton club stated that Abela presented a highly experienced resume and was well-regarded by some players through previous connections. He was hired as a match-day coach in mid-October 2024 and had contact with players during two trial sessions in January. No complaints were received regarding his conduct during these sessions.
Abela is scheduled to face a pre-sentence hearing at the County Court at a later date. Netball Victoria has stated that once matters are finalized, it will complete its own reviews to ensure safety policies and procedures are appropriate and stringently applied across all competitions.