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Fifteen boys abused by sports coach

TT/The Local
TT/The Local - [email protected]
Fifteen boys abused by sports coach
Photo: Scanpix

At least fifteen boys are now believed to have been sexually abused by a sports coach in the Stockholm area as the case against a 22-year-old suspect widens.

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An earlier stage of the investigation revealed that six boys had allegedly fallen victim to sex crimes perpetrated by their team leader from southern Stockholm. But prosecutor Maria Gylder confirmed that the number was continuing to grow.

"We have found the boys by analysing different computers. There are still still some telephone numbers in the investigation for which we have not managed to trace the owners," she told news agency TT.

The man came into contact with several of the boys, aged 10 to 15, through his position as coach of a team sport. He also approached a number of boys on community websites such as Playahead, MSN and Facebook.

Initial reports of wrongdoing came from parents of some of the boys, who discovered incriminating material on their children's computers. The club with which he is associated has also filed a police report.

The 22-year-old suspect has been held in custody since the beginning of the year on suspicion of four counts of aggravated rape against one boy in Farsta, Enskede and Ågesta last summer and autumn. He is also accused of sexual harassment and grooming, the practice of befriending children with the intention of sexually abusing them, an activity that was criminalized on July 1st last year.

According to the prosecutor, the suspect proposed sexual acts with the boys. He also sent them films of a sexual nature.

Maria Gylder said she could net yet set a date for an indictment as a number of boys and their parents had not yet been questioned in connection with the case.

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