A 70-year-old boxing coach in Townsville has been charged with seven alleged child sex offences following an investigation into historical claims involving a teenage child.
Queensland Police allege the Kirwan man used his position as a coach associated with a boxing gym to offend between 2021 and 2022.
Detectives from the Townsville Child Abuse and Sexual Crime Group executed a crime scene warrant at a gym in Kirwan on Wednesday, seizing several items they described as relevant to the investigation.
The man was arrested and charged with four counts of sexual assault and three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles, from the Townsville Child Abuse and Sexual Crime Unit, said police recognised the difficulty alleged victims could face in reporting historic offences.
“We acknowledge the courage required for victims to come forward and report these matters, particularly where the offending is alleged to have occurred over an extended period of time,” he said.
The accused is due to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court on 15 September.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
