Gold Coast man continued coaching junior soccer despite molesting two teenage girls
A GOLD Coast junior soccer coach, jailed yesterday for sexually molesting two teenage girls, was allowed to continue working with his under-12 team, despite his club knowing about the charges.
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A GOLD Coast junior soccer coach, jailed yesterday for sexually molesting two teenage girls, was allowed to continue working with his under-12 team, despite his club knowing about the charges.
To make matters worse, Burleigh Heads Soccer Club gave the paedophile, 38-year-old Anthony Nelson, a reference to use in court to help have his sentence reduced.
Nelson was coaching the under-12s until Tuesday, despite pleading guilty in June to having forced himself on to two girls, aged 14 and 15, he met through the club.
Club vice president Ian Webster last night excused its actions, saying it knew of the charges but it had not been thought Nelson was a risk with an all-boys team.
“We did not think there would be any risk at all as it is only a boys team,” Mr Webster said.
Nelson had not been required to hold a blue card as he had a child in the team he was coaching.
Mr Webster said the club had been told the charges only related to one child and occurred when the 38-year-old was drunk at a party.
Nelson, who faced two charges of indecent treatment, claimed last September he had never touched either teen but in June pleaded guilty and yesterday was sentenced to six months in jail.
He will be eligible for parole in two months.
The Southport District Court was told Nelson gave the girls cigarettes and alcohol during a slumber party in Varsity Lakes in May last year.
In the early hours of the morning, Nelson crept into the bedroom where the first victim, a 14-year-old girl, was sleeping and lay next to her, stroking her face.
He then asked the girl to kiss him before groping her breasts and pinning her hands down before leaving the room.
Nelson then returned later and lay down next to the 15-year-old girl and stroked her back and bottom, before getting on top of her and trying to kiss her, saying she was “sexy” and a “princess”.
The court heard he would not get off her, despite the girl hitting him.
He eventually left after she told him she was “still a child”.
In both instances he “dared” the terrified girls to scream for help in what Judge William Everson yesterday described as “brazen” and “persistent” attacks.
Judge Everson said Nelson’s criminal history in both NSW and Queensland meant he must serve time in custody.
Nelson was found guilty of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend and assaulting her elderly father in Sydney in 1998. In June 2013, he was fined $750 fine for assault although no conviction was recorded.
The court was told the two girls suffered severe mental anguish after the incident.
Both were in court yesterday, with one crying as the facts were read out.
“The younger claims to have self harmed for two years ... she claims she doesn’t feel safe by herself and doesn’t trust men,” Judge Everson said.
“The older claims to have attempted suicide three times ... and her mother says her personality has altered significantly.”
Nelson will be eligible for parole on September 28.
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