Todd Woods: Former East Maitland tennis coach to be sentenced for indecent assault on student

A court heard a former East Maitland tennis coach formed an inappropriate with a young student, paying her “special attention” and asked her to stay behind and help him after practice.

He was friendly, encouraging, and paid her “special attention”.

The inappropriate relationship started in 1995, when she was just 11-years-old, he was 32.

Todd Woods was her tennis coach, who operated a tennis centre at East Maitland.

In a victim impact statement read out at Newcastle District Court on Friday, a woman, now aged 37, said she considered her coach a friend, she wanted his approval and at the age of 13 developed her first crush.

“He would actively seek out my company, ask me to go for a walk around the courts to collect balls, request I stay behind to help him, we started to have secrets,” she said.

“When he showed sexual interest it was exciting at first, i started to think of him as my boyfriend, I thought if I did want he wanted, it would make him happy.”

But that relationship turned inappropriate. Court documents revealed he encouraged her to play weekend tournaments where he would be, they would speak on the phone, pick her up and take her to practice and she started working at the pro shop with him.

Todd Woods pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the child. Istock.

While working together, the offender dared the young girl to come closer to him, she moved in between his legs so her body was touching his thighs, according to court documents.

He would casually brush up against her, tell her he “liked the look her sucking a lollipop”, her vanilla perfume and her white tennis dress.

The court heard he asked her to never to tell anybody about their conversations and interactions

In 1998 and 1999, when the girl was 13 and 14, Woods would take her for a drive, open his legs and incite her to massage his groin and erect penis on several occasions.

She reported his actions to police in July 2017 and after a three year investigation, detectives charged Woods in September last year.

Woods had a sentence hearing in Newcastle District Court on Friday. Supplied Amy Ziniak

The now 58-year-old previously pleaded guilty to four counts of inciting a victim under 16 to commit an act of indecency under his authority, with three counts of aggravated act of indecency being taken into account on sentencing.

“I knew what was happening was wrong but thought I would be blamed. He told me not to tell anyone, I felt adrift, alone,” the woman told the court room.

“The impacts of his action have been profound, I thought he loved and cared for me but he took advantage of me.

“I still feel broken, a chronic sense of emptiness. He robbed me of so much time and experiences.”

Defence barrister Phillip Boulten told the court Woods was “not a paedophile” and these were the only set of allegations against him, disagreeing with the Crown’s suggestion that he groomed her.

“He is not a danger to the community, he has no disposition of sexual offending, he has rehabilitated.” Mr Boulten said.

“He is very low risk of further conduct.”

Judge Tim Gartelmann adjourned the sentencing until January, with an application for a sentencing assessment report.