ACT Magistrates Court: sports coach allegedly groomed teenage girl

A sports coach has faced the ACT Magistrates Court after allegedly grooming, sexually touching and taking intimate photos of a teenage girl. Find out what happened in court.

A sports coach who allegedly preyed on a teenage girl he was training has faced the ACT Magistrates Court for the first time.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fronted court via telephone charged with two counts of an act of indecency against a young person under special care; grooming and depraving a young person with intent to take part in or watch an act of a sexual nature and capturing intimate visual data.

According to the Statement of Facts tendered to the court the man was hired to be a personal coach for a teenage girl between May 2019 and March 2021.

Police allege the complainant was 14 when she first met him, and began seeing him for one-on-one coaching sessions after a 12-week trial period.

Documents state during this trial period, the girl and the defendant were observed by her mother, but after the trial period the sessions were conducted without parental supervision.

Police allege from December 2019 the man groomed the girl through a training program which he said would prime her for leadership in sports.

This program allegedly included one-on-one one conversations focusing on emotional development alongside sports training.

Police allege a Canberra based sports coach groomed a teenage girl he was training. Generic image.

Police allege the man conducted personality tests on the girl and told her she was a “kinaesthetic” learner — meaning she would learn best through touch.

He allegedly told the girl there were four forms of touch; functional, sensual, sexual and personal, and would conduct “touch experiments” with the girl; where he would touch her and she would have to guess which category of touch his contact fell under.

Police allege on multiple occasions the coach touched the girl in a manner he described as sexual on the girl’s hand and arm, and told her she had to touch him in the same way until she felt comfortable.

During these coaching sessions police allege the man kissed the girl without her consent, and allege during one incident where the girl refused to kiss him, he came up close to her face and told her to “just do it.”

Police allege the man asked the girl graphic questions about her sexuality and at one point asked the girl if he could have masturbation fantasies about her — to which she said no,

In December 2020 police allege the coach wanted the girl to see a physiotherapist for a shoulder injury, however he said he wanted to do his own tests beforehand.

Police allege the coach took off the straps of her bra and exposed the girl’s breasts, before taking a photo from behind and from both sides.

The coach allegedly told the girl he noticed one of the breasts were larger than the other, police say.

Police allege in February 2021 the defendant spoke about the complainant’s injury during a session with the girl and her friend.

Police allege the man told the complainant to remove her shirt so the second girl could see.

After doing this police allege the man placed his thumbs under the girl’s shoulder blades and wrapped his hands around her chest.

Police alleged his fingers touched the underside of her breasts for up to 40 seconds

Magistrate Louise Taylor ultimately granted the coach bail under strict conditions.

He cannot leave his residence except for court dates and medical appointments, he cannot access the internet or use a mobile phone.

Prosecutors also asked for a bail condition to specifically prohibit him from coaching.

Magistrate Taylor said was possibly “overkill” to include the condition considering the strict conditions already upon the defendant.

“I’m still coaching someone,” the defendant said.

The man will appear again in court on September 12.