An Australian swim instructor facing 21 sexual abuse charges says he was “dumbfounded” by allegations that he inappropriately touched his young students, according to a report from news.com.au.
Kyle Daniels, accused of sexually touching nine young girls while teaching swimming lessons at the Mosman Swim Centre in New South Wales between 2018 and 2019, appeared before a court on Monday as his retrial, which began in August, continued.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Crown prosecutor Tony McCarthy questioned his memory of the alleged incidents, alleging that he had sexual interest in the girls and acted on it by touching them inappropriately, according to news.com.au.
Daniels, 23, denies he knowingly or intentionally touched the girls in a sexual or indecent manner.
The court heard that in 2018, he was informed by management that a parent had made a complaint about the way Daniels held his students, specifically mentioning he had put his forearm between her child’s legs.
McCarthy said Daniels had signed a document in August 2018 explaining that he understood the allegations and had been instructed how to rectify his teachings moving forward.
Daniels said that he was told the parent making the complaint believed the touching was accidental, but didn’t know what they were referring to.
“I was just unsure to where it could have come from, I was a bit dumbfounded,” he said.
“I had no memory of anything inappropriate happening, I don’t know where it could have come from.”
Daniels went on to argue that it was “an impossible task for a swim instructor” not to hold their hands underwater while teaching the children.
Daniels was also taken through each alleged incident by his barrister, Leslie Nicholls, and could not recall teaching six of the nine complainants, according to WA today.
Daniels was arrested in February 2019 and at one point faced up to 59 charges, though 33 were dropped before his initial trial. In November 2020, he was acquitted on five of those charges, leaving him with the 21 that remain.
The trial at Sydney’s Downing Centre is expected to run for six to eight weeks.
It’s been years since I’ve done in-water coaching where I need to hold on to the kids, but when I did, I made sure to hold them pretty much at arms length and keep my hands as far away from midsections as possible.
About the only drill I’d do with them where they were closer to me than that and one of my hands was not visible at all times was working on back floating and I’d have their head on my shoulder and one hand supporting their mid-back.
We always had two coaches in the water at the same time then, and if there was only one of us, we’d stay on deck and do dryland drills.
Even years… Read more »
Dumbfounded or dumb and found out??
Hmmmm. 59 counts of abuse and his response is “I have no memory of anything inappropriate happening.”
Taught youth lessons for nearly 15 years and it’s pretty easy to conduct a class and keep your hands visible 99.9% of the class. The .1% of the time your hands may need to be submerged can be done in an appropriate manner that is visible from the surface.
Don’t think that defense is gonna hold up.
At the same time – instructors DO have to grab/hold their students, especially when encouraging solo swimming. Gonna be tough for the prosecution to prove malignant intent
Absolutely. I mean If the instructor gets in the water it’s to correct and show appropriate movements. Still 21 counts seems excessive, surprised he never realized something was off for the parents…