Charged Volkers allowed to go overseas

FORMER top swimming coach Scott Volkers has been given permission to travel overseas to coach despite being charged with five child sex offence charges.

Volkers, who had coached Olympians Samantha Reilly and Susie O’Neill, faced five counts of indecent treatment of a girl under 16 when he appeared briefly in Maroochydore Magistrates Court.

The court was told the charges dated back more than 30 years.

His lawyer said he had already faced court on the charges 13 years ago, they had been dropped and a private prosecution in the Supreme Court did not go ahead.

Four of yesterday’s charges related to alleged indecent treatment of one girl from September to October 1984 and again in January 1985 at Aspley and a second girl at Bald Hills, between December 1987 and January 1988.

Volkers’ lawyer Penny White told the court the coach had been told that prosecutors were looking at charges as early as last year and he had returned from Brazil despite this.

Magistrate Rod Madsen adjourned the case to Brisbane on November 27.