Joel Coggan: Gold Coast personal trainer charged with sexual offending against girl, woman

A Gold Coast man has been charged with eight sexual offences, including seven involving an underage girl and an assault on a woman in a park. He’s been ordered to stay away from one particular gym.

Police allege a Gold Coast personal trainer sexually assaulted a woman in a park just days after he was charged with having sex twice with an underage girl.

Coomera man Joel Stephen Coggan, 25, appeared in Southport Magistrates Court last Thursday on a charge of sexual assault.

According to court documents, police allege Dubbo-born Mr Coggan “unlawfully and indecently assaulted” a woman at Pacific Pines Central Park on January 16.

Mr Coggan’s lawyer Michael Gatenby made a bail application on his client’s behalf, Mr Coggan having been remanded in custody when he presented to police on Wednesday evening.

In arguing for bail, Mr Gatenby told the court his client had recently been granted bail for “what on the face of it seems like much more serious offending”.

Coomera man Joel Stephen Coggan, 25, leaving the Southport Watchhouse on February 13, 2025. Picture: Alex Treacy

Court documents revealed Mr Coggan was charged on January 10 – just six days before the alleged sexual assault – with seven child sexual offences, allegedly committed at his residence on dates between December 7, 2024 and January 4.

The charges include two counts of penile intercourse with a child under the age of 16, two counts of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16, assault occasioning bodily harm, possessing child exploitation material, and involving a child in the making of child exploitation material.

He was granted police bail on that previous occasion.

It’s understood the more recent charge of sexual assault relates to a woman he met at a gym on the northern Gold Coast in the course of his sideline as a personal trainer (Mr Coggan is listed in court documents as working at Telstra).

Coomera man Joel Stephen Coggan, 25, leaving the Southport Watchhouse on February 13, 2025. Picture: Alex Treacy

Mr Gatenby told the court his client “doesn’t work there [the gym] anymore” and further “doesn’t hold a blue card” due to the charges.

Mr Gatenby further submitted his client had mental health issues which would be exacerbated due to overcrowding in police watch houses on the Gold Coast, citing this masthead’s previous reporting as evidence of the parlous conditions inside.

Police prosecutor Tamara Dawood said police “strenuously” opposed a grant of bail.

“The defendant was on bail for indictable offences related to [the alleged child sexual offending]... after being granted bail he engaged in further conduct of a like kind on January 16,” she said.

Coomera man Joel Stephen Coggan, 25, leaving the Southport Watchhouse on February 13, 2025. Picture: Alex Treacy

“[He] appears to like to engage in this sort of behaviour.

“The victim [of the alleged sexual assault at Pacific Pines] clearly notes her fear for her life with respect to the conduct engaged in by the defendant.

“There is a clear pattern of behaviour with respect to this particular offending.”

She said Mr Coggan posed an “unacceptable risk” of further offending, but Magistrate Joan White ruled in favour of the defendant.

He was granted bail on conditions he not approach the gym connected to the sexual assault complainant, attend a nominated counsellor, and not use any social media applications.

Previous bail conditions include that he not have any contact with persons under the age of 18.

The sexual assault charge was adjourned to March 4, while the indictable charges relating to the underage girl will next be heard in the court on March 21.

The national brand which owns the gym in question told this masthead Mr Coggan was never employed, only contracted, and it was not believed he had worked there for a number of months.

Originally published as Joel Coggan: Gold Coast personal trainer charged with sexual offending against girl, woman