Nine teenage girls were sexually attacked and indecently touched by a former private schoolboy swimming instructor during lessons in 2018 and 2019, according to testimony given in court.
While employed part-time as a teacher at a swim school on Sydney’s north coast, Kyle James Henk Daniels is facing 21 allegations of improper behaviour with female pupils under the age of 10.
On Monday, prosecutor Tony McCarthy told a District Court jury, “The crown case is that the accused had a sexual interest in young girls and that he acted on it by touching the vaginas of nine young girls.”
The 23-year-old, who has pleaded not guilty to the accusations, will go on trial again in Sydney’s Downing Center for the alleged crimes, which include caressing females’ bodies outside of their swimsuits and sticking his fingers into their vaginas five times in succession.
The jury was informed that the alleged offences took place when the girls were receiving instruction in or around the pool.
His swim school received two complaints about him, one in July 2018 and the other in February 2019.
After the second occurrence, a formal complaint was made to the Department of Family and Community Services, and NSW Police were informed.
On March 12, 2019, police surrounded Daniels’ house, leading to a widely reported arrest.
The swim school sent an email to parents of its pupils the next day informing them of the arrest and the accusations.
Other parents were inspired by the email to voice their reservations about Daniels.
It seemed as if a worm was in her private area. His hands reached her intimate area.
Recounting the testimony one girl provided to police, Mr. McCarthy told the jury that it felt a little painful when he did it.
Another girl said that when she was practising freestyle in the water, the swim instructor held her in an unusual way.
She didn’t enjoy it, it felt incredibly awkward and unpleasant, Mr. McCarthy stated.
Daniels apparently denied wrongdoing when he initially learned about the charges, stating any contact may have happened accidentally.
According to testimony given in court, he agreed to adopt a less hands-on teaching approach at that point in August 2018.
The judge Kara Shead trial is still ongoing.