A former Olympic swimmer is facing a jail sentence after being found guilty of raping two teenage girls.
Antony James, who competed at the London 2012 Games, was today found guilty of eight offenses in total by a jury – three rapes and three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, plus two charges of causing or inciting a child into sexual activity.
The 34-year-old was cleared of three other charges, and the jury failed to return verdicts on six other sex charges, which included five counts of rape. James had denied all charges.
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The court was told the alleged offenses took place over a 10-year period between 2012 and 2022 and that James worked as a trainee police officer at the time of arrest. The Devon and Cornwall force, who immediately suspended James, have since confirmed he no longer works for them.
Lee Bremridge, prosecuting, told the jury during the trial that James had “sexual needs and desires” that became “increasingly more twisted and perverse as time went on.”
Antony James competed at the 2012 Olympics (
PA)
His victims were younger than 16 when he first met them, the court was told. Mr. Bembridge added: “Please don’t assume that these were normal loving relationships, how could they be?”
One victim, who met James when she was 13 years old, said she felt “pushed and violated” by James and was afraid he would “get angry.” During a police interview played in court, she said: “There were many times I had sex with him I didn’t want to, I felt like I was leaving my body. I was just waiting for it to be over.”
Judge Robert Linford agreed to grant James conditional bail until a sentencing hearing which will take place following the completion of a pre-sentence report.
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