Ex-Padstow swim coach Paul Frost charged with sexual abuse of boys
The son of Ian Thorpe’s former swim coach Doug Frost has been arrested and charged over the alleged sexually abused two young boys at a Sydney swimming school.
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The son of Ian Thorpe’s former swim coach has been charged with sexually abusing two young boys he coached in a squad team at a Sydney swimming school.
Paul Frost, 43, allegedly used his position as a swim coach at Doug Frost Swim School in Padstow two decades ago to groom two young boys before sexually and indecently assaulting them on several occasions between 1997 and 2003.
Distressing police facts reveal Paul Frost allegedly raped his oldest victim at the swim school, and on different occasion touched his genitalia through his clothing with an open hand.
The younger victim was just 11 when Paul Frost allegedly used his thumbs to stroke the child’s genitalia, and on a separate occasion pushed his hands inside the boy’s swimwear.
Alleged facts reveal Paul Frost allegedly exposed himself to the older victim before touching himself in front of the young boy.
The Sylvania man is the son of Olympic swimming coach Doug Frost, who coached the 2000 Sydney Olympics swim team and the 1998 Commonwealth Games team.
The investigation began in August when one victim came forward and told Bankstown detectives about the alleged abuse, before he alerted them to the second alleged victim.
Detective Superintendent Murray Reynolds said police now fear there may be more victims.
“We take these matters very serious and if anyone has been subjected to any (alleged) sexual offences as a child, we encourage them to report it to police,” Det Supt Reynolds said.
“At this point, we have two victims — they are the ones that have been interviewed — and both of these victims were members of the squad training group at the pool in the late ’90s.”
Det Supt Reynolds said Paul Frost allegedly groomed his victims for some time before the alleged abuse began around squad training sessions before and after school.
“There was an element of grooming — these children were young members of a swim squad who were under the control of a person,” Det Supt Reynolds said.
“We will allege this person acted alone.”
Paul Frost refused to emerge from the cells at Sutherland Local Court yesterday and his legal representative indicated he would apply for bail when he returns to court on September 26.
The swim school where Ian Thorpe learned to swim like a champion was listed by HCF Health Insurance as a Learn To Swim program provider as recently as July 2018, though the business’s ABN expired in November 2017.
Paul Frost had transformed himself from a junior swimming coach into a catering business owner who entered the first Australian season of MasterChef.
However, he fell on hard times after his catering business Hive Catering was liquidated.
The business owed a whopping $485,487 to creditors, with $319,000 to the Australian Taxation Office alone.