Fifty Shades of Grey is not child-friendly‚ says pupil testifying against waterpolo coach

A 17-year-old pupil on Tuesday told how sex-pest accused Collan Rex grabbed pupils by their genitals and would only let go after they whistled.

The pupil was the second complainant to testify in the High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Katlehong‚ east of Johannesburg.

Speaking with the assistance of an intermediary‚ he also described how Rex made him watch the erotic movie Fifty Shades of Grey.

The former assistant waterpolo coach of Parktown Boys’ High School in Johannesburg last week admitted guilt to 144 counts of sexual assault involving 12 schoolboys. He has pleaded not guilty to a further 183 counts‚ which include one of rape‚ 110 of attempted murder‚ 55 of sexual assault‚ seven of exposure of pornography to a child‚ two of sexual grooming‚ and eight of assault.

"He would tease boys‚ insult them and make them feel less than what they are‚" the pupil said‚ becoming emotional.

Cross-examining the pupil‚ defence advocate William Robertse denied that Fifty Shades of Grey was a porn movie. "The accused before court had a cinema-friendly version of Fifty Shades of Grey on his laptop‚" Robertse said.

The pupil said it was not child-friendly to anyone.

According to the indictment before court‚ Rex allegedly showed the pupil the erotic movie on his laptop while stroking his face‚ before whipping him on his legs.

He was caught on surveillance camera fondling a 15-year-old in the school’s hostel in November 2016. He was arrested soon afterwards.