A 50-year-old sports instructor accused of committing indecent acts against several female minors with cognitive disabilities appeared before the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where police requested an extension of his detention.
Police allege that security camera footage from a residential facility for children with disabilities shows Gilboa Dahan, 50, of Netanya, touching intimate areas of several female residents while working as a sports instructor at the facility.
Police said the alleged victims have cognitive disabilities that prevent them from filing complaints or recounting what allegedly happened to them. Dahan denies the allegations.
Investigators from the Kfar Saba Police Station had been monitoring activity inside the facility for an extended period.
The investigation was not prompted by testimony from one of the residents, but by footage collected during a covert investigation.
During Thursday’s hearing, police representative Sgt.-Maj. Ariel Amsalem presented the court with what police described as troubling evidence and requested additional time to continue the investigation.
According to Amsalem, the footage shows the suspect touching intimate areas of several residents. She emphasized that the girls have cognitive disabilities that prevent them from filing complaints or recounting what happened to them.
Investigation continues as suspect denies sexual offense allegations
Police also said Dahan had worked as a sports instructor at other facilities. Investigators are continuing to examine whether there may have been additional cases.
Dahan denies the allegations. During questioning, he said he had not committed any sexual offenses and maintained that any physical contact he had with the residents occurred while he was assisting them.
The court granted the police request and extended Dahan's detention by four days, until Sunday, to allow investigators to complete additional investigative steps.
Attorneys Amir Kimhi and Yehudit Ella Shaked, who represent Dahan, said in response: "Our client denies the aforementioned allegations. The investigation is ongoing, and its conclusion should be awaited."