Father-of-two, 59, vanishes while kayaking at sea just months after being accused of historic child sex charges
- Stephen Angel, 59, fighting four child sex offences at time of disappearance
- Angel went missing while kayaking off Western Australia coast on Wednesday
- Police found kayak in the water and believe he was not wearing a lifejacket
- Father-of-two was due to front court at end of month to fight child sex charges
A father-of-two who vanished at sea while kayaking was facing a string of child sex charges, it has been revealed.
Police suspended a three-day search for Stephen Angel after he went missing off the Rockingham coast in Western Australia earlier this week.
The 59-year-old was due to face court later this month over four counts of child sex offences, The Weekend West reported.
In January, Angel fronted a Mandurah Court after he was charged with two counts of sexual penetration of a child under 13 and two counts of indecent dealing of a child under 13.
A father-of-two who vanished at sea while kayaking is facing a string of child sex charges (pictured, Stephen Angel)
After setting out on his kayak on Wednesday, Angel set off a distress beacon about 1.5 nautical miles from the shore at about 11am (pictured, rescue effort earlier in the week)
Angel had pleaded not guilty and was expected to fight the charges before he disappeared.
Western Australia police would not comment on the matter.
After setting out on his kayak on Wednesday, Angel set off a distress beacon about 1.5 nautical miles from the shore at about 11am.
A team of police and sea rescue volunteers set out to find the missing man and found his kayak upturned between Point Peron and Garden Island.
His paddle was found washed up on shore and his personal locator beacon discovered 2km off the coast.
A witness said they believed they had seen Angel kayaking near Bird Island before he activated his personal locator beacon.
A team of police and sea rescue volunteers set out to find the missing man and found his kayak upturned between Point Peron and Garden Island
Police suspended the search pending fresh information, 9 News reported.
Angel is believed to have not been wearing a lifejacket at the time and his stepdaughter said she was at a loss to explain how he could have disappeared, given his history of kayaking.
‘Knowing how fit he is and strong he is and having so much experience on the water, he’s been sailing, he’s very active, it was worrying to think what could have gone wrong,’ she said on Thursday.
‘Knowing how fit he is and strong he is and having so much experience on the water, he’s been sailing, he’s very active, it was worrying to think what could have gone wrong,’ Angel’s stepdaughter said on Thursday (pictured, Angel’s kayak)
Angel is believed to have not been wearing a lifejacket at the time and his stepdaughter said she was at a loss to explain how he could have disappeared, given his history of kayaking