MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) – A former Utica community schools basketball coach is accused of explicit text messages with a young girl.

Former Eisenhower freshman girls’ basketball coach David Willman is now facing two felonies and up to seven years in prison.

“This guy is a 48-year-old man, he’s not a kid,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith. “You’re asking a 14-year-old girl to send nude photos. That in and of itself, is inappropriate in every way possible.

“We have text messages. Which is pretty darn good evidence.”
 
Willman is accused of sending sexual text messages to a player. He was arraigned Wednesday on one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes and one count of using a computer to commit a crime.

“We’re happy that he’s going to be behind bars for a while,” Smith said.
 
The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office says its Macomb Area Computer Enforcement Unit received a report on December 2, that Willman had been text messaging a 14-year-old student.

The school then notified parents and Utica community schools quickly fired Willman, who had been a contract employee.
 
“I’m very happy that the victim in this case got her parents involved before anything else happened other than these texts,” Smith said.
 
Smith says Willman had been texting the teen for a month or so, with the messages slowly becoming more and more inappropriate.
 
“Every coach texts kids on the team but these turned into I want to see nude photos, please take photos, I want to send you photos,” Smith said.

When confronted with the text messages Smith said that Willman says he was intoxicated when he sent them.

“He doesn’t deny anything but he says he doesn’t recall any of this,” Smith said.
 
Although Smith says it doesn’t appear Willman has a criminal past – he wouldn’t be surprised if more victims come forward.

“It is a wakeup call for every parent out there to have a discussion with their daughters,” Smith said.
 
Willman is now being held on a $150,000 bond and is due back in court next Tuesday.

“This kind of stuff,” Smith said. “It will be met with the full force of this office.”
 

Image copyright
Pacemaker

The rape trial involving two Ulster rugby players has heard details of WhatsApp messages sent by two of their friends on the day the players were arrested.

The messages suggest that before Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were questioned, the police contacted the then Ulster rugby coach Les Kiss.

A number of messages sent by two friends of the players, Rory Harrison and Blane McIlroy, were read out in court.

Mr Harrison messaged Mr McIlroy telling him that “the cops went straight to Les Kiss which is…ridiculous.”

The players concerned were then telephoned, according to the messages.

Paddy Jackson and fellow Ulster and Ireland rugby player Stuart Olding are accused of raping the same woman in Mr Jackson’s house, in the early hours of 28 June, 2016.

The next day, the 19-year-old woman contacted the police. The players were arrested the following day.

Mr Harrison was also contacted by police, not initially as a suspect, but to give a witness statement. He had been in Mr Jackson’s house on the night in question and had shared a taxi home with the woman.

After giving his witness statement, later in the day he exchanged messages with Blane McIlroy.

‘Trouble for the lads’

In one message, Mr McIlroy stated: “This is ridiculous. Surely it’s all just going to get dropped.”

Mr Harrison texted: “Hopefully it’s just thrown out, Just a silly girl who’s done something then regretted it.”

He added: “She’s causing so much trouble for the lads.”

The court also heard a series of messages sent the day after the alleged rapes.

Blane McIlroy sent a message to a WhatsApp group with a picture of him and three women. The message said “love Belfast sluts”.

He was in Paddy Jackson’s house on the night in question along with Mr Harrison and Mr Olding.

‘Catch off guard’

Earlier in court a police officer denied that the PSNI mishandled part of the investigation.

A defence barrister suggested that police had tried to “catch off guard” one of the defendants, Rory Harrison.

He is accused of perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

His barrister said when he attended a police interview on 4 October, 2016, he did not know in advance he was being treated as a suspect, not a witness.

At the start of day 23 of the trial, Mr Harrison’s barrister, Gavan Duffy QC, also told the court his client was not allowed to see a copy of a previous statement he had given to the police.

Mr Duffy put it to the police officer who interviewed his client that an attempt had been made to “catch Mr Harrison off guard”.

“Absolutely not,” replied the officer. “I have no evidence to suggest that.”

Mr Harrison, 25, of Manse Road, Belfast denies perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

‘Not about rushing’

The trial also heard evidence from the detective in charge of the day-to-day running of the investigation.

She conducted the first video interview with the alleged victim, after she went to the police.

After the video interview finished, the 19-year-old woman told the officer she had left some information out. She had forgotten to include the fact another young woman had walked into the bedroom during the alleged rape.

Arrangements were made for another interview to take place with the police, three weeks later.

Defence barrister Brendan Kelly QC questioned the three-week delay.

The officer replied: “It’s not about rushing it, it’s about taking our time, and achieving best evidence.”

She said that the woman had been emotional during the first interview and needed a break.

Mr Jackson, 26, from Belfast’s Oakleigh Park, is charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. He denies the charges.

Mr Olding, 24, from Ardenlee Street, Belfast, is also charged with rape. He too denies the charge.

Another man has also been charged in connection with the case.

Blane McIlroy, 26, of Royal Lodge Road, Belfast, is charged with one count of exposure. He denies the charge.

The 11-person jury has been told by Judge Patricia Smyth to wait until they hear all of the evidence in the case before coming to any final conclusions.

Image copyright
Pacemaker

The rape trial involving two Ulster rugby players has heard details of WhatsApp messages sent by two of their friends on the day the players were arrested.

The messages suggest that before Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were questioned, the police contacted the then Ulster rugby coach Les Kiss.

A number of messages sent by two friends of the players, Rory Harrison and Blane McIlroy, were read out in court.

Mr Harrison messaged Mr McIlroy telling him that “the cops went straight to Les Kiss which is…ridiculous.”

The players concerned were then telephoned, according to the messages.

Paddy Jackson and fellow Ulster and Ireland rugby player Stuart Olding are accused of raping the same woman in Mr Jackson’s house, in the early hours of 28 June, 2016.

The next day, the 19-year-old woman contacted the police. The players were arrested the following day.

Mr Harrison was also contacted by police, not initially as a suspect, but to give a witness statement. He had been in Mr Jackson’s house on the night in question and had shared a taxi home with the woman.

After giving his witness statement, later in the day he exchanged messages with Blane McIlroy.

‘Trouble for the lads’

In one message, Mr McIlroy stated: “This is ridiculous. Surely it’s all just going to get dropped.”

Mr Harrison texted: “Hopefully it’s just thrown out, Just a silly girl who’s done something then regretted it.”

He added: “She’s causing so much trouble for the lads.”

The court also heard a series of messages sent the day after the alleged rapes.

Blane McIlroy sent a message to a WhatsApp group with a picture of him and three women. The message said “love Belfast sluts”.

He was in Paddy Jackson’s house on the night in question along with Mr Harrison and Mr Olding.

‘Catch off guard’

Earlier in court a police officer denied that the PSNI mishandled part of the investigation.

A defence barrister suggested that police had tried to “catch off guard” one of the defendants, Rory Harrison.

He is accused of perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

His barrister said when he attended a police interview on 4 October, 2016, he did not know in advance he was being treated as a suspect, not a witness.

At the start of day 23 of the trial, Mr Harrison’s barrister, Gavan Duffy QC, also told the court his client was not allowed to see a copy of a previous statement he had given to the police.

Mr Duffy put it to the police officer who interviewed his client that an attempt had been made to “catch Mr Harrison off guard”.

“Absolutely not,” replied the officer. “I have no evidence to suggest that.”

Mr Harrison, 25, of Manse Road, Belfast denies perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

He is a friend of the two rugby players and was at Mr Jackson’s house on the night in question.

He shared a taxi home with the woman who alleges she was raped.

Mr Jackson, 26, from Belfast’s Oakleigh Park, is charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. He denies the charges.

Mr Olding, 24, from Ardenlee Street, Belfast, is also charged with rape. He too denies the charge.

Another man has also been charged in connection with the case.

Blane McIlroy, 26, of Royal Lodge Road, Belfast, is charged with one count of exposure. He denies the charge.

The 11-person jury has been told by Judge Patricia Smyth to wait until they hear all of the evidence in the case before coming to any final conclusions.

Two Ireland and Ulster rugby players on trial for rape allegedly boasted about their sexual activity on WhatsApp, a court has been told.

Stuart Olding, 24, and Paddy Jackson, 26, are accused of raping the same woman at a property in south Belfast in June 2016.

Court of Appeal rules Snoopers’ Charter is ‘unlawful’

Jackson faces a further charge of sexual assault. Both men strenuously deny the charges.

Details of mobile phone communications were given to the jury of nine men and three women during the opening day of the high profile trial at Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that Olding allegedly wrote on WhatsApp ‘We are all top shaggers’ and ‘There was a bit of spit roasting going on last night fellas.’

He later added: ‘It was like a merry-go-around at a carnival.’

It is also alleged that Paddy Jackson replied on the same WhatsApp messaging service: ‘There was a lot of spit.’

The case, which has been scheduled to last for five weeks, is being heard before Judge Patricia Smyth.

Two other men have also been charged in connection with the alleged incident on June 28, 2016.

Hatton Garden ringleaders told to pay £27.5 million or serve another seven years in jail

Blane McIlroy, 26, from Royal Lodge Road, Ballydollaghan, Belfast, is accused of one count of exposure.

Rory Harrison, 25, from Manse Road, Belfast, is charged with perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

In his opening statement, prosecutor Toby Hedworth QC, said: ‘This case, say the prosecution, concerns allegations of serious sexual misconduct by the first three defendants, and attempts by their friend, the fourth defendant to cover up their conduct.

‘It involves a young woman going to an after-party with other females at the home of a well-known sportsman, Patrick Jackson, the first defendant.

‘He was accompanied by the remaining defendants, who were all close friends of his.

‘The night ended, we say, with the first two defendants engaging in sexual activity with that young woman against her wishes, as they well knew or as they simply were not interested in considering. The third was hoping to join in.’

More: UK

During the lengthy opening statement, Mr Hedworth warned jurors against applying stereotypical images of those involved.

He said: ‘As this case concerns a young woman going to an after-party with young sportsmen, there is the danger that stereotypical views are taken of what such a complainant should expect.

‘Equally, there may be stereotypical views of the behaviour of young men, particularly when in drink and with their friends.’

All four defendants, who arrived at court separately, sat alongside each other in the dock.

They listened intently but gave little reaction as graphic details of the alleged attack were outlined.

Mr Hedworth said: ‘It is alleged that the young woman in question was vaginally raped and sexually assaulted by way of digital penetration by the first defendant Paddy Jackson and that she was orally raped by his friend, another professional rugby player Stuart Olding.

‘Further that their friend Blane McIlroy, who was keen to have sexual activity with her as well, intentionally exposed himself to her.

‘Effectively, this group of friends were keen to have sexual activity with this young woman, regardless of whether or not she was prepared to do so.

‘When she was able to escape from what was being done to her the fourth defendant, Rory Harrison, appeared to give her help and support but in the event, it turned out, we suggest, that his true loyalty was to his friends and what they had done.’

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty and are on bail.