Parents at a Sydney swim centre where a teacher allegedly sexually assaulted girls as young as five say they are now refusing to take their eyes off their children when they are in the water.
Kyle Daniels, 20, was arrested earlier this month and charged with the sexual assault of eight girls he taught in lessons at Mosman Swim Centre between January 1, 2018 and March 2, this year.
Daniels, from Balgowlah in Sydney’s exclusive northern beaches, is facing a total of 31 charges including having sexual intercourse with a child and also indecent assault.
The shocking allegations against Daniels led dozens of parents to switch swim schools, despite Mosman officials promising increased supervision on the pool deck.
The families who remain say they are taking their own steps to protect their kids – including walking along the pool deck as their child swims and keeping their phones out of sight so not to be distracted.
Parents at Mosman Swim Centre (pictured) have told of the extreme lengths they are going to in a bid to protect their kids, after a swimming teacher at the pool was charged with 31 counts of sexual assault
Kyle James Henk Daniels (pictured), 20, allegedly carried out sexual assaults on eight girls ‘in and around’ the pool at the Mosman Swim Centre across 2018 and early 2019
‘The main thing I thought after it came out was: “What can I do with my kids?”,’ one mother told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I’m a metre away at all times as she swims and I don’t take my eyes off her now.
‘They’ve increased supervision which is good, but it’s still in the back of your mind.’
Another woman whose children had been swimming at the centre for two years said that immediately after charges were laid against Daniels there was a big difference in how full the pool was.
She said that for a Saturday morning – the busiest day of the week for lessons – it was ‘pretty quiet’.
‘Since we started coming here there has always been maybe six or eight kids in each lesson, but from the week after we heard the news there was two or three,’ the mum-of-two said.
‘My husband and I argued about whether we should move our kids but the pool has been good to us and we weren’t personally affected so we had no reason to leave.
It comes amid revelations NSW poliec will allege that Daniels carried out his 31 offences ‘in and around’ the pool.
A source close to the investigation said police believe some of the alleged offences took place underwater, out of eyesight of parents who were often sitting by the pool.
Dozens of families have left the swimming school in the wake of the allegations, with some of those who remain saying they now follow their kids down the pool as they swim and leave mobile phones in their bags to limit distractions.
Daniels (right, with his parents) was a prefect at the prestigious Knox Grammar school and was on the school’s top water polo team. He is continuing to attend University of Sydney despite out on bail
Daniels was arrested by police at his family home on March 12 and initially charged with three child sex offences. A further 28 charges were later laid against the swimming teacher
The list of charges – which include sexual intercourse with a child, indecent assault and sexual touching – allegedly occurred when Daniels was teaching the students private swimming lessons.
Court documents revealed that in one instance, Daniels allegedly had sexual intercourse with a seven-year-old girl eight times in just three weeks.
The documents also revealed Daniels was still allegedly committing sexual offences on swim students up until 10 days before he was arrested.
Daniels, a University of Sydney sports science student, was arrested on March 12 and charged with sexually abusing two alleged victims.
Prosecutors added a further 28 charges and took out Apprehended Violence Orders on behalf of the alleged victims banning Daniels from any contact with them.
Daniels’ lawyer said his client strongly denied the charges.
Court documents seen by Daily Mail Australia reveal Daniels’ alleged offences began in January 2018, with the indecent assault of a ten-year-old girl.
A source close to the investigation said Daniels (right, pictured with his father) performed the alleged acts under the water – out of sight of parents and colleagues often just metres away
He is alleged to have indecently assaulted that girl three more times last year, while also carrying out similar attacks on two other girls – one of whom was aged five.
Daniels allegedly committed a total of 14 acts of indecent assault in 2018.
On a further eight occasions he allegedly sexually touched young girls when he was teaching them to swim.
He also allegedly raped two girls nine times between October 2018 and February 2019.
In addition to the criminal charges, Daniels has been hit with seven AVOs taken out by police on behalf of his alleged victims.
Daniels’ last known alleged attack was carried out on February 2, 10 days before he was arrested at his family home in Balgowlah on Sydney’s northern beaches.
The allegations against Daniels forced his former swimming centre to hire additional pool deck supervisors to watch over its staff.
EzySwim – which operates the swimming program at the Mosman Swimming Centre but does not own the aquatic centre – told parents they would ‘go over and beyond’ the standard safety requirements.
‘Safety procedures at Mosman Swim Centre adopt best practice in swimming pool management,’ EzySwim’s statement read.
‘However, in light of these horrific claims involving a former instructor at the centre, we are introducing additional safety measures that go over and beyond industry practice, so parents can be assured children are as safe as possible.
Daniels hid his face and held his mother’s hand as he walked out of Emu Plains Correctional Facility last Wednesday after more than a week in custody
The shocking allegations against Daniels have forced his former swimming centre to hire extra pool deck supervisors, in a bid to ‘go over and beyond’ the necessary safety requirements
‘As part of this, our teachers are participating in additional Child Protection & Safety education through Swimming Australia.
‘We are also ensuring there is an additional pool deck supervisor on duty.’
Daniels spent more than a week behind bars after his arrest before being released on bail on Wednesday, March 20.
A surety of $100,000 was posted to secure his freedom, with strict bail conditions of reporting daily to police, not going to pools and surrendering his passport also put in place.
Daniels is due to reappear before Manly Local Court on May 8, 2019.
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