One of the victims of former national rock climbing coach Stephen Mitchell has told a Canberra court that her childhood memories have been reduced to "scarred, distorted nightmares", while another victim says she can no longer believe she is "safe and loved".
Mitchell, 57, has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against six girls between 1994 and 2008, including charges of persistent abuse of a child and maintaining a sexual relationship with a child.
He met five of the girls through rock climbing, or his work with the Police Community Youth Club (PCYC) in Canberra, and met the other girl through a social activity.
Today the court heard six victim impact statements, including one from a woman who was coached by Mitchell between the ages of nine and 15.
"He isolated me, he controlled me and he abused me," she said.
"My childhood memories are scarred, distorted nightmares – I still struggle to think about those years.
"Now, as a woman, I feel like a soldier that was captured by the enemy, tortured and abused and not put back together as whole."
Another victim, coached by Mitchell between the ages of 12 and 14, told the court he had "destroyed" her life.
"I now live with an inability to trust others and believe I am safe and loved," she said.
"My sporting achievements provided Stephen Mitchell the legitimacy he needed to lure others into the sport.
"It made me an unwitting accomplice to the abuse of others."
The court heard another victim's anxiety and fear stemming from the abuse meant that even as an adult she had to constantly relocate and had not lived in one property for more than 18 months.
"My mental health has suffered greatly, I have been so scared and fearful," she said.
"Some days are crippling, and I can't get out of bed or move."
In discussing what kind of sentence Mitchell should serve for his crimes, she said she felt as though she had been jailed for the past two decades.
"I have served more than 20 years, I don't get bail. I do not get release from what I have endured," she told the court.
Another victim, who was befriended by Mitchell when she was 11 and was exploited for four years, said his action had taken her entire youth and continued to impact her today.
"You haunted me in the hard times and low times, but I'm mostly annoyed about you haunting me in the good times," she said.
"When I purchased my first house I was so proud of myself, but it was taken by panic that maybe I bought one near you."
She told the court the "anxiety, insomnia and nightmares" had never ended, and it prevented her from being the mother, partner and friend she wanted to be.
Mitchell had his bail revoked and was taken into custody. He is due to be sentenced on Monday.
