Bombshell development after young Aussie surf coach was accused of grooming children

A well-known surfing coach with a large social media following has been charged with more child abuse crimes after reportedly admitting to viewing child exploitation material while out on bail.

Connor John Christopher Lyons, 26, will spend Christmas behind bars after he was arrested for the second time in three days on Wednesday.

He was initially arrested on Sunday and charged with 12 counts of indecent treatment of children on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast before being released on bail the following day.

Detectives arrested Lyons again on Wednesday and charged him with a further 14 offences, including intentionally creating child exploitation material, exploiting child abuse and damaging evidence.

The Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard on Thursday that Lyons allegedly viewed and deleted child exploitation material from a device at his mother’s Sunshine Coast home before moving to his father’s home in Gympie, 85km away.

Lyon now faces a total of 29 charges, allegedly committed against four child victims.

For the most serious crime, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

Police prosecutor Tegan Smith claimed in court that Lyons told police during an interview after his arrest that he had first accessed child abuse material more than a decade ago.

Lyons (pictured) was released on bail on Monday but was arrested again on Wednesday and refused bail

Lyons (pictured) was released on bail on Monday but was arrested again on Wednesday and refused bail

Furthermore, the accuser alleged that Lyons had first recalled abusing children as early as 2018, prompting her to label him a “substantial risk to children.” ABC reported.

“It doesn’t matter where he lives… by his own admission he cannot stop this behaviour,” Ms Smith told the court.

The prosecutor argued that the alleged evidence against Lyons was being gathered and that the severity of his charges indicated his alleged crimes were “significantly worse” than initially thought following his release on bail on Monday.

“He has admitted that not only did he abuse these children, but he filmed that abuse against these innocent and vulnerable children,” she said.

“He has admitted to watching that over and over again and masturbating to that material… and then, after being granted bail, destroying the evidence he had on those videos.”

The court also heard that Lyons allegedly allowed police access to his phone but did not allow them to search a computer program, which allegedly had the means to share child abuse material internationally.

As Ms Smith theorized about Lyons’ reasoning for denying officers access, Magistrate Rodney Madsen interrupted the prosecutor and told Lyons: “There is absolutely no chance of you getting bail.”

Lyons had conducted court via video link from the police watchhouse and was represented by barrister Bradford Hill.

The police prosecutor alleged Lyons (pictured) first recalled abusing children as early as 2018, prompting her to brand him a ‘significant risk to children’

Mr Hill had argued that his client should be granted bail so he could seek ‘treatment’.

“It would benefit him if he started treatment before he was sentenced… while on bail,” Mr Hill said.

He added that Lyons had moved to Gympie and accepted that his surf coaching business was ‘effectively over’.

Mr Hill suggested Lyon surrender his Australian passport and be banned from social media, in addition to bail conditions on Monday which stipulated he would not provide surfing lessons to anyone aged 17 or under.

However, Magistrate Madsen claimed: ‘There are probably no conditions that could be imposed by any magistrate that would reduce the risk to children.’

“The community cannot be protected from you unless you are in custody,” he said.

Lyons will appear in court again in March next year, giving detectives ample time to search his electronic devices.

Queensland Police have asked anyone with relevant information to come forward.