A gymnastics coach who is barred from working with children has been charged with sexually abusing five of his students in Sydney's west.
Police began investigating in July following reports a girl had been sexually abused by her coach during gymnastics training.
Initial inquiries revealed the man had been refused a working with children check in 2016.
During the investigations a further four girls reported being sexually abused by the coach during their training sessions.
Detectives arrested a 54-year-old man at a home at Leonay on Monday.
He was taken to Penrith Police Station and charged with engaging in child-related work without clearance and eight counts of sexually touching a child aged 10-16 years, sexually touching a child under 10, sexually touching a person aged 16-17 under special care, and sexually touching a person aged 17-18 under special care.
Police allege the man sexually touched five girls - aged between nine and 17 - on numerous occasions between January 2020 and June 2021, while they were students under his care.
He has refused bail to appear in Penrith Local Court on Tuesday.
