Inside the alleged admissions of surf coach Connor Lyons after child sexual abuse arrest

By day he was a prominent Sunshine Coast surf coach offering mentorship to kids in the sport he loved, but police allege behind closed doors the instructor had a hidden addiction to child exploitation.

Connor John Christopher Lyons’ fall from grace was heard in Maroochydore Magistrates Court this week following his arrest. Picture: Instagram/Patrick Woods

The alleged double life of a Sunshine Coast surf instructor has been heard in court following his arrest on multiple child sexual abuse charges.

In public, Connor John Christopher Lyons appeared to be a young man with life at his feet. A prominent surfer who had competed nationally and even travelled globally for his craft.

The 26-year-old marketed himself as a mentor and surf coach on the Sunshine Coast where he offered to teach his skills to those of all ages.

It was through his life in the surf industry, police allege Lyons was able to commit heinous crimes against children.

Connor John Christopher Lyons. Picture: Instagram

Police allege that following his second arrest, Lyons confessed to watching the hideous abuse of children for years, unbeknown to the community who considered him a guiding influence of the children he taught through his surf school.

Lyons currently sits behind bars on remand on more than 20 charges including multiple counts of indecent treatment of children, grooming, making child exploitation material and wilful exposure. No pleas have been entered.

The surfer

Prior to his arrest, Lyons was a well known name in the Sunshine Coast surf scene.

As a World Surf League competitor, Lyons competed at multiple competitions including several in the 2023/2024 season which included the Oakberry Tweed Coast Pro and Camplify Great Lakes Pro where he ranked 17th. He has been competing for several years, averaging 9.69 points during his heats.

Lyons spruiking a holiday deal on his social media. Picture: Instagram

What made him a common appearance at beaches on the Sunshine Coast and Noosa however was his surf school, or what he described on his website as the “Connor Lyons Surf Experience”, which marketed “squad sessions” or full day clinics for a “transformational surfing experience”.

His Instagram profile, which boasts almost 10,000 followers, would market his business with videos of lessons, tutorials, merchandise, school holiday deals and even overseas camps.

First arrest

Court documents state Lyons first appeared on police radar following two separate reports to police on December 13 and 15.

In a police statement, it was alleged the Peregian Springs man committed indecent acts against two children known to him through a professional capacity in the surfing industry.

The acts were alleged to have happened on the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

Lyons was arrested and faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday.

The 26-year-old outside the Maroochydore Police Station. Picture: Patrick Woods

Police prosecutor Mel Pyke said the 26-year-old surf school owner allegedly “gained the trust” of families which she alleged gained him access to the children.

Duty lawyer Michael Robinson was able to secure Lyons’ release on bail due to his lack of criminal history and strict bail conditions, which included not talking to children under 16 and not instructing surfing to those under 17.

The allegations

In documents tendered in court during his first bail application on Monday, disturbing allegations were raised against Lyons.

Police allege Lyons molested the two children which included multiple indecent touches where he even bathed with one of them.

It’s further alleged the Peregian Springs man abused one of the children during a naked massage and exposed his penis to both of them separately.

The Peregian Springs man told awaiting media after his release from the watch-house he could still instruct adults in his surfing school with his bail conditions. Picture: Patrick Woods

Court documents allege the children felt uncomfortable through all of the alleged interactions and told Lyons to stop each time.

In objecting to his bail, police alleged Lyons’ business revolved around the “intimate” contact with children under 16, and he separately molested them after “deceiving” their parents to leave them alone with him.

Second arrest and alleged hidden secret

It was a search warrant on a rural Gympie home in Sexton which allegedly uncovered another side to Lyons which had been hidden beneath the surface for years.

Noosa Child Protection Investigation Unit detectives raided the property where they seized a laptop and an external drive allegedly belonging to Lyons.

While speaking to detectives, police allege the surf instructor confessed to not only previous charges but to new offences, including his dark secret which had been harbouring.

Police executed a search warrant at the Gympie address on Wednesday. Picture: Patrick Woods

Court documents state Lyons allegedly admitted to frequently viewing child exploitation material for years to as recently as December, in the lead up to his arrest.

Police allege during analysis of his laptop, they found inquiries for the hideous files along with a program which was capable sharing files internationally.

Some of his searches allegedly included a search for “gay adult youth” and “boyhood films”.

There were also allegedly links to a file which contained stories of child abuse, which after being selected would open a “hidden network” on the program which he had a paid account for. Police allege he used this to download child abuse material for reading.

He allegedly admitted to police he would “get off” to it.

Bail objection documents state during an interview with police, Lyons admitted to allegedly “filming his own offending” on occasions and storing it on his devices.

One alleged incident was of a boy Lyons filmed naked while getting changed.

Police further claim Lyons admitted to deleting the child exploitation material from his devices following his grant of bail on Monday.

Further allegations

More allegations were levelled at Lyons after his second arrest. Picture: Patrick Woods

Discussions with the 26-year-old allegedly uncovered more offending by Lyons, where he admitted to exposing himself to children to see if they were “interested in sexual activity”.

Police allege one incident involved Lyons exposing his penis to a group of boys at a popular waterfall on the Sunshine Coast.

It’s further alleged he exposed his penis again to two children at his home at Peregian Springs.

Police further allege Lyons untied a child’s short drawstring and removed their penis from their shorts.

In an extraordinary alleged admission, Lyons said he would expose himself to a child to “desensitise” them which police allege he accepted was grooming.

During these interviews, police allege the surf instructor admitted to being sexually attracted to children and watched child exploitation material multiple times a week, and could no longer masturbate to legal pornography. Police allege he stated he “did not have the capacity” to stop himself.

Police allege Lyons told police his first alleged offending against children occurred in 2018 when he visited China as a surf coach.

Detectives claim Lyons admitted to groping the children’s bums and genitalia “for his own sexual gratification”.

Remanded in custody

During Lyons’ second bail application, his solicitor Bradford Hill put forward stricter bail conditions, and conceded the 26-year-old would be open to seek treatment.

Senior prosecutor Tegan Smith strongly objected to the Peregian Springs man’s bail, where she claimed the evidence against Lyons was “so much stronger” and “substantially worse” where she alleged he admitted to not only abusing children, but filming it.

She said he also allegedly admitted to watching it “over and over” and even after being granted bail on Monday, decided to “destroy” evidence of those videos.

Her concern was how the 26-year-old did not give access to a program installed on his laptop, which had the ability to internationally share child exploitation material.

Media questioning Lyons after his release on bail on Monday. Picture: Patrick Woods

“What one must ask yourself, given the substantial serious nature of his admissions, what else must be in that application that he does not want to give access to,” Ms Smith alleged.

“By his own admissions, he cannot control his urges.”

Magistrate Rod Madsen cut short Ms Smith’s submissions to emphatically say there was “absolutely no chance” of Lyons receiving bail for a second time. Mr Madsen there were no conditions that could be imposed by a magistrate to reduce the 26-year-old’s risk to children.

The Peregian Springs man’s bail was refused and was remanded in custody.