A small-town tennis coach is behind bars after sickening details of his sexual offences with girls as young as 11 were laid bare in court.
Geoffrey Hollow, 70, was sentenced in Victoria’s County Court this week after he pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including indecent acts with a child aged under-16, sexual assault and grooming.
He committed the crimes against girls aged 11-17 in Wandiligong, in north-eastern Victoria’s Alpine Shire region.
The junior tennis coach provided after school ‘group lessons’ and private tuition for students in grades 1-8 between 2011 and 2022.
The court heard that Hollow took the students aside for supposed strength training sessions, where he instructed the girls to sit on a makeshift stool made from a bike seat.
He would then tell them to lift their tops and lower their shorts so he could ‘massage’ them. His hands would go to their buttocks, hips and thighs.
The court heard he took five of the girls aside after lessons for ‘massages’, where he would take off their pants, underwear or shirts.
On one occasion, Hollow gave a young girl a massage after she complained of pain in her arm.
Junior tennis coach Geoffrey Hollow, 70, (pictured) will spend a year behind bars after committing sexual offences against female students
‘You produced two small vibrating massagers and told her that you knew how to fix the pain. You used the massagers to massage both her buttocks even though the pain was in her arm,’ Judge Peter Rozen told Hollow during sentencing, news.com.au reported.
Two other students entered the clubhouse while he was providing the ‘massage’ and Hollow yelled at them to leave, the court heard.
In another incident, Hollow slapped a 15-year-old’s buttocks during a lesson and later locked her in the clubhouse with him so that her mother would not walk in on a massage.
The court heard Hollow on several occasions also bought shorts for his students to train in.
He told the students to take off their underwear before wearing the shorts and took them back at the end of the lesson.
‘You know the drill, try them on, nothing underneath,’ Hollow told one of the girls.
Hollow’s horrific offending finally ended in 2022 when some of the students disclosed what had happened to a parent, who reported it to police.
Detectives later executed a search warrant at the 70-year-old’s home and discovered hundreds of videos and photographs of girls, including his victims.
Hollow on several occasions gave children ‘massages’ touching their buttocks and thighs (stock image)
Judge Peter Rozen described the offending as serious and very concerning.
“This is your dark legacy,’ he told Hollow.
‘Parents had entrusted the care of their children to you.
‘You took advantage of that trust for your own sexual gratification.’
The judge reminded the young women they were not to be blamed.
‘There is only one person who is responsible for this offending and that is Geoffrey Hollow,’ Judge Rozen said.
‘None of the victims and none of the parents are responsible.’
He accepted Hollow had pleaded guilty following a sentence indication hearing, sparing the victims the anxiety of giving evidence at trial.
There was no evidence that Hollow had a condition like paedophilia, so his risk of reoffending was hard to assess, Judge Rozen said.
But the judge accepted Hollow would not be in a position of power again and specific treatment programs could reduce any risk.
Hollow will spend 12 months behind bars, followed by an 18-month community corrections order.
He will have to undergo sex offender treatment.
One of Hollow’s former tennis clubs only became aware of his conviction when media reported on the case.
Hollow didn’t return to Bright Tennis Club after it became aware of the allegations against him
‘We understand that many families may feel shocked, frustrated, or angry,’ Bright Tennis Club said in a statement.
‘Please be assured that the individual did not return to the club after the club became aware of the allegations.’
‘Tennis Australia, Tennis Victoria and the clubs involved are committed to providing support to anyone affected. This includes access to counselling services, safeguarding resources, and ongoing education for coaches, staff, and volunteers.’
1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service: 1800 211 028
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)