Parktown Boys former assistant coach guilty of sexual assault

Despite the defence’s calls for him to be acquitted, former Parktown Boys assistant water polo coach, Collan Rex has been found guilty of 144 counts of sexual assault and 12 counts of common assault.

When his trial at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court began last month, Rex was facing 327 counts. He has since pleaded guilty to 144 counts of sexual assault against 12 of the 23 boys who are complainants in the case that has been headline news for weeks.

The defence had previously argued that he should be acquitted on a number of charges due to the poor credibility of some witnesses, reports EWN.

Earlier this week, Judge Peet Johnson acquitted Rex of 43 charges of the 183 that he pleaded not guilty to.

The 22-year-old is yet to be sentenced.

Rex on Tuesday told the court where he was facing charges ranging from rape to attempted murder that he realised that choking the children, which he admitted to having done, was “immature”.

“I was very immature and when I look back now I could have been more responsible and handled things better. I realise that it was childish and I should’ve stopped,” Rex said while being cross-examined by state prosecutor Arveena Persad.

During proceedings at the High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court, Rex maintained that it was not his intention to kill any of the children.

READ MORE: Former Parktown Boys coach accused of assault says he was ‘immature’

Rex told the court that he had been wrestling with a matric boy and he had to signal the boy had to stop. It was supposedly common at their school to wrestle each other.

“Why did you not bring it up while giving your evidence? Why did you wait till I ask you?” Persad asked.

“I don’t know,” Rex responded.

Rex pleaded guilty to the 144 sexual assault charges of 12 boys. He was acquitted of another 43 charges on Monday by Judge Peet Johnson after boys would not testify to substantiate these.

Earlier, Rex said he did not know why a number of the boys would wrongfully implicate him.

He added that one of the boys would probably wrongfully implicate him because he did not get along with the boy’s cousin.

“He would probably influence him. He was one of the bullies and people who did drugs in high school.”

Persad told Rex that would not be a reason for the boy to wrongfully implicate him.

Later, Persad questioned Rex about a playdough penis.

Rex said the play dough penis belonged to one of the boys and he returned it to him after their homework session. He said he had taken it away because he felt it was distracting them.

During the trial, some boys testified that Rex tried to force them to suck the playdough penis.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android