"I know many of you hesitate to send or take your kids on a surf trip…This is a once in a life time opportunity…in a fun yet safe and controlled environment."
In what you might call the ugliest surf-adjacent story of the year, Sunshine Coast surfer and wildly popular surf coach Connor Lyons has been granted bail after being charged with sex crimes against kids.
Lyons, who is twenty-six, is accused of the indecent treatment of two children over a 14-month period on both the Sunshine and Gold Coasts.
The allegations involve him exposing his penis to the children and engaging in inappropriate physical contact, including an incident during what was described as a “naked massage.” Both alleged victims reported discomfort and asked Lyons to stop.
Police allege that Lyons deceived the parents of the children to leave them alone with him, which facilitated the alleged abuse.
Despite opposition from the police citing Lyons as posing an unacceptable risk to the community, he was granted bail with strict conditions. These conditions include no contact with children under 16, not attending venues frequented by children, and reporting to police three times a week. He is also restricted from coaching children under 17.
The incidents came to light when both alleged victims made complaints within a two-day span in mid-December 2024.
For whatever reason, Lyons’ Instagram account is still active and in light of the allegations ain’t doing him any favours.
View this post on Instagram
Lyons has appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court, where he is scheduled for a reappearance in February 2025.
The police have encouraged anyone who might have experienced similar incidents to come forward.
Lyons is a talented surfer and an occasional competitor on the WQS circuit.
Despite the charges, it’s real important to remember Connor Lyons is innocent until, and if, found guilty.
View this post on Instagram
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and crimes against orthodontics.
Pretty much what I thought was going on with surf schools and “instructors”
Well burrows me dead a surf pedo how unusual.
No mention of the accompanying photographer on the trip…
Mebe he and Elo should do a collab.
Somewhere behind bars.
many years ago, when I was but a teen; I was walking through the Ehukai parking lot on my way home when shock…..and awe….there in front of my very innocent eyes were three of the legendary bronzed Aussies, striping off their board shorts, getting bare butt naked, genitals exposed, changing into dry shorts.
I did not ask for autographs……nor a massage.
Was Alan Jones there too?
I’ll hold off judgement til I read the herald-sun
One thing that has gotten unambiguously better these days is that more pedos get caught.
I bet he wishes he worked for the catholic church right about now. Some conversion therapy and back to work he goes.
oh FFS , can you ask Julien how his mentoring is going?
I thought the legal presumption in Australia was insolent until proven guilty though
Trial by press, first, then a courtroom.
And then by inmates
And, finally, by God.
Godamns it.
And by non fiction best seller list once you write that prison memoir
A real close pal of mine wrote a memoir of his time in the can including one particularly eye-opening chapter called Living with Monsters: about sharing cells with so-called lifers at the end of their sentences. One guy beheaded his wife, another killed a kid, buried ’em, then dug ’em up two weeks later to fuck ’em. Different world inside.
sounds a bit like my friends in the bluestone college!
Sounds alot like a 100
riggers I’ve worked with
First time I saw inside a prison was visiting Paul King, Surf Travel Co man, when he got done smuggling coke, maybe smack, years ago, and the…heaviness of the joint…this was Silverwater, was next level. Interestingly, on one visit to my pal I wore a jumper that said, and I didn’t realise ’cause I thought it was just a cute graphic, Extra Tough. Still trying to live that down.