Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
A former youth soccer coach accused of drugging and abusing boys is facing rape charges in Germany.
The coach plied children as young as 10 with doped sweets and booze before assaulting them while he filmed the vile abuse on his phone, report local media.
Frankfurt state prosecutors have charged the suspect – named only as 35-year-old Sven B. – with rape, sexual abuse of minors and creating pornography.
The suspect worked at German third-league side SV Wehen Wiesbaden’s youth training centre.
He most recently managed their Under-14s team.
SV Wehen Wiesbaden is a tradition-rich club based in Wiesbaden, the capital of the German state of Hesse.
Sven B. – who was arrested last December – has remained silent in police interrogations on the case.
He is in preventive custody awaiting his trial.
Investigators are trying to discover if the suspect exploited his position as a coach to select his victims.
But state prosecutor Nadja Niesen said: “It is highly likely that he got to know them through his activities as a manager.”
Sven B. is suspected of luring five teenagers aged between 14 and 17 and a 10-year-old to his flat between the 9th and 26th October 2021.
The ex-coach reportedly created a hoax scenario claiming there was a threat against them that only he could help them with.
At his apartment, Sven B. offered them chocolate jelly beans and alcohol. Local media claim the sweets were laced with doping agents.
The suspect then sexually molested his underaged victims – and filmed his actions with his mobile phone.
SV Wehen Wiesbaden sacked Sven B. when the accusations emerged.
The club announced: “We are supporting the parents of our squad members in their communication with the authorities.”
Wiesbaden has a population of nearly 280,000.
A date for the trial against Sven B. has not yet been set.
SV Wehen Wiesbaden is the biggest and most popular club in the city. Its first-team squad compete in the third-highest league in German professional football.
The club’s youth academy was established in 1955. Around 150 kids aged between 10 and 19 are part of the club’s youth squads.
SV Wehen Wiesbaden says on its website: “Football with heart and soul. That’s our passion.”
It explained that the target was to “prepare kids and teenagers for our first-team squad under consideration of various sportive and paedagogic regards.”
