Sentencing begins for Guildford West martial arts teacher Christopher Barnes

The distressed mother of a boy whose martial arts teacher sexually touched him in Sydney’s west has told a court the emotional toll the offence has inflicted on her son and his family. Warning: Graphic content.

Christopher David Barnes faced court for sentencing. Picture: Facebook

A western Sydney martial arts instructor who sexually touched two boys in the bathroom of a gym has heard the impact his offending had on his young victims.

Christopher Barnes, 35, of Woodpark, was found guilty of a string of child sex offences after a trial earlier this year, and faced sentencing submissions in Darlinghurst Court on Thursday.

The mother of one of the boys who was abused at the Fearless Martial Arts Gym read out a victim impact statement which told the court how her son has struggled emotionally since he became the victim of sexual touching between 2018 and 2020.

The woman said her son withdrew from his family and often woke up screaming and crying since his ordeal.

“My son cries so much and keeps repeating ‘why me, why me’,” she told the court.

“The actions of (Barnes) have torn my son apart in ways that no words could ever describe; my son trusted (Barnes). My son enjoyed playing sport but now finds it hard going near any training venues.

A mum has told a court the anguish Christopher Barnes’ actions inflicted on her son. Picture: Facebook

“As a parent we’ll continue to support our son even though we felt helpless. As a parent I have seen my son has struggled emotionally to process what happened to him.’’

The woman trusted the offender so much she used to describe him as her brother and an uncle to her children. Her family befriended the instructor and invited him and a relative to a function in 2019.

When he gave evidence, her son told the court Barnes touched his penis and stuck his finger in his anus.

The court heard how the offender kept making up excuses to take him to the bathroom and constantly asked him about his pubic hair.

The court heard how Barnes “kept using the excuse of personal growth” when he touched the boy’s penis.

The other victim was kissed by Barnes, who inspected the boy’s body after a sunburn, and asked him to keep it a secret.

The boy promised not to tell, but told his father when he was picked up after class.

In October, a jury found Barnes guilty of carrying out sexual offences on the two boys under the age of 16 at the Fairfield Rd gym.

He was found guilty of intentionally sexually touch child under 10 years, guilty of intentionally touch sexually a child under 16, two counts of intentionally sexually touch child between 10 and 16 years, aggravated intentionally doing a sexual act with a child between 10 and 16 years and intentionally sexually touch a child between 10 and 16 years.

Barnes, 35, has been in custody since October. When he was brought up from the docks on Thursday wearing a suit, he waved to his family, including his mother, who were present to support him.

The defence told the court how the kissing offence should only warrant a community correction order, an offence Judge Robert Montgomery reminded the court that the jury had found sexual.

When discussing the offender’s prospects of rehabilitation, the court heard Barnes would be motivated not to reoffend because his family was relying on him for financial support.

However, Crown Monika Knowles said that was tempered by the fact that he denied the offences, so failed to recognise the need to engage in rehabilitation.

The court also heard Barnes was banned from teaching children, but it did not mean offences could occur in another way.

A psychological report evaluated his risk of reoffending as low.

Judge Montgomery reserved his judgment for February 2.