Lawrence basketball coach held on child rape charge

A 30-year-old school security guard and basketball coach at a Lawrence middle school has been charged with having a sexual relationship with a female student that started when she was 13 years old.

Tyrone Farrar was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty on Monday in Newburyport District Court to charges including statutory rape.

His court-appointed lawyer agreed that prosecutors had probable cause to ask that Farrar be held.

Farrar was arrested in Salisbury at about 1 a.m. on Saturday for driving erratically and was charged with driving under the influence of drugs. The now 14-year-old girl was in the car with him.

According to police reports, the girl admitted a sexual relationship with the married Farrar.