Former Queensland surfing coach pleads guilty to child sex charges
Connor John Christopher Lyons has pleaded guilty to a raft of child sex charges. (ABC Sunshine Coast: Kirra Grimes)
In short:
A former Sunshine Coast-based surfing coach has pleaded guilty to 28 child sex charges.
Connor John Christopher Lyons, 26, offended against eight victims over three years.
What's next?
Lyons will be sentenced in the Maroochydore District Court at a later date.
A former Queensland surfing coach has pleaded guilty to a raft of child sex charges he committed against eight young victims over a three-year period.
Connor John Christopher Lyons, 26, appeared in a Sunshine Coast court on Thursday where he sat quietly as a list of charges was read.
They included indecent treatment of children under 16 and making child exploitation videos.
The court heard some of Lyons's victims were younger than 12.
His offending spanned 2022 to late 2024 in the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane areas.
Lyons also pleaded guilty to making and possessing child exploitation material as well as damaging evidence with intent.
The most serious of the charges carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Lyons spoke only briefly to tell Magistrate Chris Callaghan he wished to plead guilty to all the charges against him.
He will be sentenced in the Maroochydore District Court on 28 charges.
A further five wilful exposure charges — which Lyons is yet to enter formal pleas to — will be dealt with in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court at a later date.
He has been remanded in custody since December and no bail application was made.
A legal 'impasse'
A legal issue delayed proceedings when Lyons' matters were mentioned in court earlier this month.
At the time, Mr Callaghan described the matter as having reached an "impasse."
The court had been told Lyons, who represented himself throughout the legal process, would be unable to view some of the evidence prosecutors had compiled against him as it allegedly included child exploitation material.
Lyons has repeatedly said he did not want legal representation and would represent himself.
He discharged his lawyer earlier this year and reiterated on Thursday he did not wish to engage another.
Lyons will be sentenced in the Maroochydore District Court at a later date. (ABC Sunshine Coast: Jessica Ross)
Admissions made to police
Police had alleged that, after Lyons's initial arrest in December, he accessed and deleted child exploitation material from a device at his mother's house on the Sunshine Coast.
In December last year, police told the court Lyons admitted to deleting the child exploitation material and other offences during a subsequent police interview.
The court also heard allegations from police that Lyons admitted to accessing child pornography online for more than a decade.
In court earlier this month, Lyons again agreed he had made "admissions" to police when they interviewed him.
On that date, he also asked Mr Callaghan if he could send letters to the families of his victims.
Mr Callaghan said there was no restriction on him doing so but advised him not to contact the children.