Ex-coach on child sex rap cites ‘lies’

Collan Rex tells court he did not rape nor engage in oral sex with school boys as claimed.

Collan Rex also refutes claims of rape and inappropriate touching.

The former Parktown Boys’ High School assistant water polo coach, Collan Rex, who is accused of a multitude of sexual offences against young boys, told the High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday that one of the boys who testified against him had gay tendencies.

After Judge Peet Johnson yesterday acquitted Rex on some of the charges of attempted murder, sexual assault, assault and exposing a child to pornography, defence lawyer William Robertse called Rex to the stand to testify.

Robertse asked Rex about the incident between him and a boy who had told the court that he was invited to Rex’s room to make him hot chocolate but that Rex later performed oral sex on him.

Rex told the court that at the time he was staying with Njabulo Zulu, who was also a dormitory master and a rugby coach at the school, and when he was not with Zulu he was at his girlfriend’s house.

He said the boy, who had told him that he would cuddle with another old boy and that he loved him, had gay tendencies. Rex also said the boy once asked him how big his penis was.

“He liked doing weird things, like always wanting to hug me. I know it would be difficult for him to explore and it wasn’t my place to tell his parents. My uncle is gay and it put him in a difficult place with his father.”

However, the 22-year-old Rex said the boy was lying about receiving oral sex from him.

Earlier, Rex told the court that water polo was a physically challenging sport that included grabbing players’ bathing costumes and being physical to gain an advantage over opponents. He said that he only grabbed the boys’ costumes during water polo activities and not in a sexual manner. “I might have grabbed him for learning purposes.”

He said did not know why he was being accused of touching boys’ genitals.

Robertse asked Rex about an alleged rape involving the boy. “I deny sticking my finger in his buttocks, in terms of me penetrating his anus with my fingers, I never did.”

Rex added: “I didn’t expose any child to pornography.”

He said there had been a misunderstanding between him and a boy who had testified that Rex had said he didn’t f**k him hard enough.

He told the court that a boy who said he was forced to watch 50 Shades of Grey was curious about what he was watching and kept coming to ask him questions while he was watching the movie so that he could see what he was watching.

During the trial, a boy had also testified that Rex had made a penis out of play dough and tried to force him to suck it. Rex said he had confiscated the penis-shaped play dough and had not asked one of the boys to suck it.

State prosecutor Arveena Persad asked Rex whether he felt the boys who testified against him were being honest with the court. “They are lying,” Rex said. – ANA

They are lying.

Collan Rex Former boys high school assistant water polo coach