A former Highland children’s football coach is facing court accused of a string of child sex offences.
Mark McAuley, 31, who ran children’s after school football coaching sessions across Ross-shire and Sutherland with his Do Soccer organisation, is facing nine charges involving four boys.
He is accused of sexually assaulting two children under the age of 13 and two charges of engaging in sexual activity with boys under the age of 16.
McAuley also faced three charges of directing a verbal sexual communication to a child and one of causing a child to hear a verbal sexual communication, as well as a single charge of causing a child to look at a sexual image.
Solicitor Advocate Shahid Latif appeared for McAuley, who was not present at the hearing, and entered pleas of not guilty to all charges.
The offences are alleged to have taken place at addresses in Tain, Dunfermline and Edinburgh, as well as in a vehicle on the A9 and elsewhere between February 2016 and August 2019.
The charges allege that McAuley, of Pitdinnie Place, Dunfermline, massaged boys legs, asked them to remove their clothing and tried to get them to share his bed while he wore only his underwear.
Accused of photographing sleeping child
He is also accused of repeatedly pinning a child down and putting his hand down their trousers to touch their private parts, pushing a child’s shorts up to expose his private parts and photographing a child while he was asleep.
It is further alleged that he described sexual acts to children as well as describing a sexual image to one child and sending an image of a naked woman to another.
The case, before Sheriff Margaret Neilson, was adjourned until February and McAuley’s bail continued.
According to Companies House, McAuley’s connection to Do Soccer ended in June 2019 when the firm was dissolved.
‘No involvement in Do Soccer Academy’
Do Soccer Academy continues to operate and is now based at Seaboard Park, Balintore.
A spokesman for Do Soccer Academy said: “We cannot comment on the case while it is live however we would like to make it clear that Mark McAuley has had no involvement in Do Soccer Academy for a number of years.
“We have registered a parent-led committee and the club is now running under a new board.
“We did consider changing the name however it did not prove feasible and would have required us to shut down and we felt the health and social benefits of football to the area outweighed no football at all. ”
A spokesman for Highland Council said: “It would not be appropriate for Highland Council to comment whilst proceedings are active.”
