Families of 8 victims now claim sexual abuse by Marblehead hockey coach

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. — A Marblehead hockey coach has been held without bail after a judge says eight children’s families have alleged he sexually abused them.

Christopher Prew, 31, was accused of sexually abusing an 8-year-old boy he was coaching. In a court hearing regarding those claims Wednesday, Judge James LaMothe said the families of seven more victims have levelled accusations against him.

A separate hearing for two of the complaints has been scheduled for later this month.

On the witness stand, a Marblehead police officer told the court the first victim came forward on February 5. The officer said she interviewed the young victim separately from his mother, in which he detailed incidents when he was alone with Prew and claimed Prew touched the victim and asked the child to touch him.

According to the charges filed by the Essex County District Attorney, Prew is accused of indecently assaulting and orally raping the 9-year-old boy between September 2017 and January 2018.

The mother told police Prew approached her in a Facebook message in the wake of her husband’s death in recent years.

According to the mother, Prew was a mentor about to the child, teaching him to skate, taking him to rink and taking him to buy hockey gear.

After those interviews, police say other families came forward. The alleged victims range in age from 6 to 11.

Police say Prew had a lot of one-on-one time with the boys and the abuse allegedly happened at his condo, as well as in the children's home and on road trips for out of state tournaments.

According to court records, Prew lived in an apartment owned by the mother of the first victim. She is said to have given police permission to enter and search the apartment.

MORE: Hockey coach accused of sexually assaulting 9-year-old back in court Wednesday

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