Sunshine Coast surf coach Connor Lyons sentenced to jail for child abuse
A Sunshine Coast surf coach and competitor will serve more time in jail to pay for his crimes against several young boys, who he inappropriately touched during lessons and excursions. GRAPHIC CONTENT.
A Sunshine Coast former surf coach and competitor will remain in jail for heinous child abuse crimes which involved touching children during surf lessons and on excursions.
Connor John Christopher Lyons faced Maroochydore District Court on Thursday, December 4 after he pleaded guilty to child abuse crimes earlier this year.
Police previously stated Lyons had committed indecent acts against children known to him through a professional capacity in his role as a surfing instructor on the Sunshine Coast.
Lyons, also a “World Surf League competitor”, was a prominent identity in the region and had built a significant online presence, police had stated
He was granted bail in December, 2024 but only days later, he was slapped with more than a dozen additional charges including allegations of grooming and destroying evidence, and has been in custody ever since.
The 27-year-old represented himself in the District Court and was invited to sit at the bar table instead of the dock by Judge Glen Cash, as police had “little concern” about Lyons.
The court heard the crimes occurred over a period of two years against eight boys aged between seven and 12 years old.
Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks told the court that on one occasion Lyons he pulled a child towards him and tried to hold him down and inappropriately touch him until the child punched Lyons in the nose.
Another child was subject to one of two grooming offences, which entailed Lyons repeatedly exposing himself to the child under the pretence of changing after their surf lessons.
Lyons’ most horrific offending occurred when he was tasked with looking after the same child, and slept in bed with the child.
Ms Marks said Lyons hugged the child from behind and inappropriately touched him both on top and under his shorts before he pulled the child’s shorts down and continued heinous actions..
On another occasion, Lyons invited the child to take a bath, where Lyons fully undressed himself and committed another unspeakable act.
Ms Marks said during an excursion, Lyons “massaged” the child before other actions this publication has chosen not to describe.
The court heard Lyons also filmed the child getting changed in a car after a surf lesson on one occasion.
Ms Marks told the court Lyons was on a trip with another child where he had inappropriately touched the child while he slept more than once, causing the boy to rouse from his sleep.
The court heard other victims were touched by Lyons on the bottom during surfing lessons – with one occasion occurring while a parent was watching from ashore – and were subjected to Lyons exposing himself.
One incident of exposure occurred while two boys were in his home playing video games.
Ms Marks said after being granted bail, Lyons deleted child exploitation material on his laptop but then admitted this to police when his home was searched.
He made further admissions to police about material on his laptop and phone, including photos and literature regarding children.
Lyons told police he had indulged in such material since his teenage years.
Ms Marks told the court the victims and their families felt a betrayal of trust and the boys lost their childhood innocence.
Some lost their love of the ocean and surfing, and one struggled with their self worth.
Another child was plagued by nightmares which left him crying and shaking, the court heard.
Ms Marks labelled Lyons’ offending as manipulative, exploitative and an “example of every parent’s nightmare” which produced “devastating” impacts on the lives of children.
Lyons then read out a statement of apology to the court, where he entailed observing what happens to victims of such crimes during his time in jail.
He said he understood the effects of his crimes and accepted responsibility.
With prompts from Judge Cash, Lyons told the court he worked under a surfing school before he travelled the world in a semi-professional capacity for surfing competitions before taking up coaching in China.
After Covid, he returned to the Sunshine Coast and took up surf coaching self-employed.
Judge Cash remarked Lyons clearly had a “sexual deviancy” and Lyons said he intended to take part in “all the treatment” he could obtain.
Judge Cash acknowledged the “significant credit” owed to Lyons for his co-operation with police.
In his sentencing, Judge Cash made reference to children who had the sport of surfing “sullied” by Lyons and must now seek counselling.
Lyons was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with parole eligibility after 18 months.
Taking into account time already served in jail, his parole eligibility date was set to June 18, 2026.
Lyons pleaded guilty to 19 counts of indecent treatment of children, two of grooming, two of using a carriage service to access child abuse material, and one each of making child exploitation material, possessing child exploitation material through a hidden network or anonymising service and damaging evidence with intent.
Five counts of wilful exposure were also brought up from the Magistrates Court to the District Court on Thursday, which Lyons also pleaded guilty to.
