Gym coach Daniel Benson sentenced for decades-long sexual abuse

A once well-respected gymnastics coach who sexually abused teen girls over decades gave “no explanation” for his actions, a court has been told.

A once well-respected gymnastics coach with experience across Australia who sexually abused teen girls over decades gave “no explanation” for his actions, a court has been told.

Daniel Gordon Benson appeared before Parramatta District Court on Friday for sentence over 20 charges, including sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years old.

The charges relate to the sexual abuse and indecent assault of students aged as young as 14 as far back as 1999 in Sydney.

In sentencing, Judge Justin Smith said while he accepted Benson was remorseful, there was “simply no evidence whatsoever from the offender to explain his offending”.

“All of the offending in this case was marked by the position of trust in which the offender was held, both by the victims as well as their parents,” Judge Smith told the court.

“The place of a sports coach in the lives of young people, especially in circumstances where the particular activity consumes a large part of their life, is one of significant trust.

“The offences were not isolated but reveal an ongoing pattern of sexual offending against young women and girls by a well-respected, successful gymnastics coach.”

Daniel Benson was sentenced over the abuse of teen girls over decades.

Judge Smith described impact statements tendered to the court by Benson’s young victims as “harrowing”, as they detailed the “terrible” and long-lasting impacts.

“In his letter to the court, he expressed his deep sorrow to the victims for his actions, noting there is nothing that he could say that could repair the harm he caused,” Judge Smith said.
“The offender said that it was hard listening to the victims read their statements, and that he didn’t think that he truly understood the harm it caused until he did.”

Judge Smith said he accepted Benson’s “belated expression of insight” but admitted Benson had limited ability to engage in formal psychological programs in custody.

Benson was sentenced to eight years and six months behind bars, with a non-parole period of six years beginning late-2021. He will be eligible for parole in December 2027.

The court was told Benson first started teaching girls gymnastics in the early ’90s with his then partner before the two opened their own club.

In 1998, Benson was driving a 17-year-old girl home when he stopped and grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards him before placing his hand on her buttocks.

Judge Smith said while the offence was “strictly speaking opportunistic”, it formed part of a process of grooming “which required some degree of planning”.

The court was told Benson complimented the girl’s looks, including when she was in a bikini. Similarly, he made comments about another girl being his “favourite”.

Benson abused girls aged between 14-17.

Benson also gifted the 14-year-old a bracelet in 1998 before he hugged and kissed her on the neck. In 2001, he also “pinched” a 17-year-old’s vagina.

Also in 1998, Benson was at a hotel when he met two 17-year-old girls who were known to him and with whom he later travelled to a nearby gym club.

While there, Benson was in a foam pit with one of the girls when he began kissing her before laying her down and engaging in sexual intercourse with the young girl.

The court was told the girl had tried to pull Benson away and told him “no, stop”, to which he assured her that he would not get her pregnant before she again said “stop”.

Perhaps the most significant of Benson’s victims, and over whom he was charged multiple times, was a 14-year-old girl with whom he carried out an extended “relationship”.

Benson told the teen, who began gymnastics early in her school career, that she was “beautiful” in front of others and asked when he went away if she would miss him.

The former coach was driving the teen shortly before her 15th birthday when he kissed her on the neck and lips before lifting her on top of him and touching her breasts.

The teen questioned Benson about whether “this was a real relationship or it was just him getting off on the situation”. He replied to the effect, “I want to be with you, and I love you.”

The court was told that, believing that Benson loved her, the teen would sneak out of her home to have sex with him, including at the gym club and at a local school field.

In early-2005, the teen was busted by her mother sneaking out of her bedroom window but did not disclose the nature of her relationship with the former coach.

More than 15 years later, Benson was at gym when he stroked a 16-year-old’s leg and grabbed another woman’s bottom, which were the last of his charges.

He was sentenced over charges including seven counts of aggravated indecent assault of someone under 16 and four counts of sexual intercourse with some aged between 14 and 16.

He also faces three counts of assault with act of indecency, two of sexual intercourse without consent, and two counts of sexual touch without consent as related charges.