A once highly respected and experienced gymnastics coach at gyms across Australia created “opportunities” to abuse several teenage girls over two decades, a court has been told.
Daniel Gordon Benson appeared at Albury District Court from Goulburn supermax custody for a sentencing hearing on 20 charges, including sexual assault of girls under 16.
The charges relate to sexual abuse and indecent assault on students as young as 14 in 1999 on Sydney’s northern beaches, as well as in Penrith, in the city’s west.
Crown lawyer William Martin told the court that in his opinion it was “perhaps quite obvious” that Benson was motivated by an “interest in boys and girls.”
The Crown presented a psychological report that also showed Benson had “failed to see the power dynamics” and his authority over his victims, and his role in protecting them.
“There is a reference to him believing two of the encounters were consensual, which again seems consistent with him minimizing or justifying his offending,” he said.
‘He then provided a letter to the court, which addresses, in some respects, the impacts for the victim. This is really the first time there’s evidence of that.
“There are only a couple of lines in what is a letter that is much more focused on the impacts on him… We would be concerned about his rehabilitation prospects.”
Daniel Gordon Benson appeared at Albury District Court from Goulburn supermax custody for a sentencing hearing on 20 charges, including sexual assault of girls under 16.
Martin said Benson was assessed as a “moderate risk of sexual reoffending” and that the offending was not opportunistic given a “not insignificant amount” of preparation.
He said Benson had “created opportunities” so he could offend his teenage victims “believing they would comply” and not report the attacks.
Attorney Scott Schaudin disagreed that all of the crimes were premeditated, saying “the facts speak to completely opportunistic conduct” against at least one of the girls.
He went on to state that “whether remorse or contribution comes sooner or later,” Benson’s letter to the court demonstrated that he had some idea of the impacts of his crime.
“Having now listened to the eloquent victims in their presentation of the harm he has caused, there is an appreciation, as it stands before you today, of that harm,” he said.
The charges relate to the sexual abuse and indecent assault of students as young as 14 as early as 1999 on Sydney’s northern beaches, as well as in Penrith, in the city’s west (pictured: Benson’s arrest).
Schaudin said Benson had faced difficulties in custody following his pretrial incarceration in 2021, meaning he was “warehoused” without a treatment plan.
Benson was named Levels Coach of the Year by Gymnastics NSW, but their relationship fell apart following his arrest at his home in western Sydney in late 2021.
He pleaded guilty to the charges in February this year and will return to court when Judge Justin Smith delivers his sentence at 9.30am on November 1.
The offenses include seven counts of aggravated indecent assault on someone under 16 and four counts of sexual intercourse with a person aged between 14 and 16.
He also faces three counts of assault with an indecent act, two counts of sexual intercourse without consent and two counts of sexual contact without consent as related charges.