Kyle Daniels: Mosman swim coach hearings delayed by COVID-19
The alleged child victims of Mosman swim coach Kyle Daniels have been told their evidence hearings have been put back due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. He faces 26 charges including nine of having sex with a child under the age of 10.
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Young students allegedly molested by Mosman swim coach Kyle Daniels will begin giving their evidence in late May at the earliest after a judge pushed back prerecorded hearings for the high-profile case.
Daniels, a South African-born identical twin, is accused of sexually abusing young students between February and June 2018 at Mosman Swim Centre.
The 21-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 26 charges including nine counts of having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10.
In February, Judge Kara Shead agreed on six dates for prerecorded hearings – April 20, May 27, 28 and 29 and June 1 and 2.
However, on Tuesday, Judge Shead vacated the April 20 date and pushed it back to June 3.
The interviews of up to nine girls, aged between six and 11 years, will be heard during his trial in October.
Daniels’ defence lawyer Gabrielle Bashir asked for the April 20 date to be postponed, arguing technology used by the district court was under great strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She gave several examples where the technology used by law professionals to appear before the courts remotely had dropped out.
She said the system was simply being “overwhelmed” and could cause problems for the prerecorded hearing.
The Crown prosecutor explained a witness would be prerecorded in a remote room with a support person and an intermediary person, while the Crown prosecutor and defence asked questions through an audiovisual link.
“The issue is the ability of the audiovisual link to pick up the questions both from myself and then from Ms Bashir on behalf of the accused.”
Judge Shead will decide on May 18 whether to go ahead with the other prerecorded hearing dates.
Daniels was employed at the Mosman Swim Centre between June 2018 and March 2019.
The former Knox Grammar School prefect remains on bail.