Hockey coach accused of 17 sex offences spanning four decades faces court

A FORMER primary school teacher and hockey coach from Co Down has appeared in court to face a series of sex offences.

Standing in the dock of Newtownards Magistrates Court, Glenn Stranex (52) confirmed he was aware of the 17 charges against him.

Stranex, from the Cairnsville Road in Bangor, is a former teacher at Rathmore Primary School in the seaside town.

He was also a hockey umpire and head coach for the Ulster under-16 team, as well as Randalstown Ladies First XI coach and Ulster Hockey’s youth officer for under-15 girls in the Bangor area.

He faces seven counts of indecently assaulting a female, seven charges of taking or making Glenn Stranex outside court in Newtownards

indecent images of children, and single counts of inciting gross indecency with a child, voyeurism and possessing indecent images of a child.

The indecent assaults relate to a single female allegedly abused on dates between September 1988 and July 1989.

The charge of inciting gross indecency with a child is alleged to have been committed against a second girl some time between September 1, 1992 and July 1, 1993.

The voyeurism charge relates to an alleged incident that took place between September 1, 2004 and September 14, 2016, while the eight charges relating to 25 indecent images of children are alleged to have been committed between May 1, 2008 and September 16, 2016.

None of the facts were opened in court yesterday, but during a short preliminary enquiry a prosecuting lawyer submitted there was a prima facie case against Stranex.

Defence counsel Conan Rea conceded there is a facie case to answer.

In applying for legal aid to be extended to allow for a senior QC to be instructed, he described the offences as a combination of “both historic and recent and images and contact allegations”, revealing there was likely to be a “large number of third party disclosures issues”.

The court clerk told Stranex he had the right to comment on the charges or call evidence, but he said “no, thank you”.

Freeing Stranex on bail and granting a legal aid extension, District Judge Mark Hamill returned the case to Downpatrick Crown Court and ordered him to appear at the higher court for arraignment on November 27. Rylan Clark-Neal and Eamonn Holmes at the Specsavers Spectacle Wearer Of The Year event yesterday in London