Youth worker Hussain Abdullah to be tried after pleading not guilty to sex abuse charge Hussain Abdullah, left, outside the Magistrates Court, where he made a "not guilty" plea to abuse charges. Picture: Dean Martin Source: adelaidenow A YOUTH worker has been ordered to stand trial on the abuse charge that sparked the latest controversy in the ongoing Education Department scandal. Hussain Abdullah, 55, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today and pleaded not guilty to one count of persistent sexual exploitation of a child. Prosecutors allege he committed repeated sexual acts against a girl between January 1 and December 1 last year. Because he has entered a plea, the statutory suppression order on Abdullah's identity - which has protected the allegations since they were first filed - has now fallen away. Today, Magistrate Bob Harrap ordered Abdullah stand trial in the District Court, and remanded him on continuing bail until August. Outside court, Abdullah declined to speak about the case. "We're aware of the rules, we cannot make any statement," he said. His lawyer, David Wilson, said the charge would be contested. "We will be vigorously denying these allegations," he said. On Sunday, adelaidenow revealed the existence of Abdullah's case. Education Minister Jennifer Rankine subsequently told The Advertiser the department had contacted parents of secondary school students at two department sites. Ms Rankine said police had advised her of the case in her former role of Police Minister and the Education Department, Catholic and independent school sectors had been notified. During a breakfast radio debate on Monday, Liberal education spokesman David Pisoni sparked a row by referring to Ms Rankine as "Jennifer Atkinson" - the surname of her partner and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Michael Atkinson. Mr Pisoni later described the comment as "a slip."