Ex-judo trainer faces sex charges

[caption id="attachment_94067" align="alignright" width="166"] LEAVING COURT: Marcial Schroeder leaves the Port Elizabeth Regional Court this week, where he is facing charges of molesting young boys -[/caption]

PE Springbok martial artist tells court coach ‘groomed’ him from a young age

A SPRINGBOK martial artist told a court this week how his former sensei, who taught Port Elizabeth pupils judo for 45 years, allegedly molested him more than 15 years ago.

The man, now 31, claimed family man Marcial Schroeder, 65, groomed him from the age of 15 to eventually consent to the sex acts.

They carried on with what he said could now be mistaken for an “affair” for the next 10 years, even after he married his highschool sweetheart.

He put a stop to it in 2010, at the age of 25.

The 1.8m tall complainant and trained VIP bodyguard said what had happened was his “humiliating secret”, and he would have kept it that way had it not been for another martial artist who made similar allegations against Schroeder in November 2012.

The second complainant, 22, claimed Schroeder had made him uncomfortable by speaking to him about his sexual experiences on a trip to East London in October 2012, and allegedly tried to touch his genitals.

The men both trained at Schroeder’s MJ’s Academy in Villiers Road, Walmer.

While Schroeder trained the first man into obtaining his Springbok colours, he retired before the second complainant joined the academy. He said he did, however, accompany him on a trip to a sports meeting in East London after he indicated that he wanted to learn more about judo. Schroeder’s son, Kyle, now runs the academy. Schroeder pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault and one of indecent assault in the Port Elizabeth Regional Court on Monday.

He said the “fabrications” against him had destroyed his life. “I am bitter and angry that such horrific lies have been spread about me,” he said.

“I intend, at the end of this trial, to take civil action against these [complainants].”

schroeder’s lust for revenge may come sooner than expected. His legal team said they would bring an application for his acquittal at the close of the state’s case, claiming a lack of evidence.

The prosecution is expected to close its case today.

The man said for a short while after his marriage Schroeder would come to his house in the mornings after his wife had gone to work and they would watch porn and masturbate.