Former British Olympian Antony James Jailed for 21 Years for Raping Teenage Girls

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A former British Olympic swimmer, Antony James, has been jailed for 21 years after being found guilty of raping two teenage girls and committing a string of other sexual offenses against them. James, who represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Games in the 100m butterfly, groomed the girls before assaulting them, Plymouth Crown Court heard. The judge, Robert Linford, told James that he had a "nonchalant approach" to the "catalogue of abuse" and that he had "groomed and repeatedly sexually abused" the two victims.

James was convicted of three counts of rape, three counts of sexual activity with a child, and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity. He pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent photographs of a child. The court heard that James carried out the offenses over a 10-year period between 2012 and 2022, during which time he was a student officer with Devon and Cornwall police. One of James's victims read out her victim personal statement in court, telling him that he was "twisted and strange" and that he had robbed her of some of her formative years. The survivor said that James had left her feeling "vulnerable, weak and trampled" and that she had panic attacks and constantly felt in a state of "flight or fight".

The prosecution said that James had "manipulated and controlled" his teenage victims to fulfill his own sexual desires. Gemma Kneebone, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said that James had "claimed that these young victims were over 16 at the time, but this was a lie which collapsed under scrutiny". James was sentenced to 14 years in prison before being released on license and will be on the sex offender register for life. The case has been described as a "Shakespearean fall from grace" for James, who had risen to the "pinnacle of the sporting world" and had broken British records. Joe Stone KC, defending, said that James had "represented his country at European, Commonwealth and world level as well as at the Olympics" and had helped people with special needs.

Here are the key points of the case: * Antony James was found guilty of three counts of rape and three counts of sexual activity with a child * He pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent photographs of a child * The offenses took place over a 10-year period between 2012 and 2022 * James was a student officer with Devon and Cornwall police at the time of his arrest * One of James's victims read out her victim personal statement in court, describing him as "twisted and strange" * James was sentenced to 21 years in prison, with 14 years to be served before release on license * He will be on the sex offender register for life and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 25 years. The investigation into James's activities was led by the Devon and Cornwall police, who worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to bring the case to court.

The case has raised concerns about the protection of young people from sexual abuse and the importance of holding perpetrators to account. The judge, Robert Linford, said that James had "groomed and repeatedly sexually abused" the two victims and that he had shown a "nonchalant approach" to the abuse. The case has also highlighted the importance of supporting victims of sexual abuse and ensuring that they receive the help and support they need to recover from their experiences. James's sentence reflects the seriousness of his offenses and the need to protect the public from further harm.