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| 'Threats made by coach's father' | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The father of a tennis coach threatened the family of the 13-year-old girl his daughter is accused of sexually abusing, a court has heard. | The father of a tennis coach threatened the family of the 13-year-old girl his daughter is accused of sexually abusing, a court has heard. |
| Colin Lyte, the father of former tennis pro, Claire Lyte, told the teenager's family he had "friends in high places" and he "knew Freemasons". | Colin Lyte, the father of former tennis pro, Claire Lyte, told the teenager's family he had "friends in high places" and he "knew Freemasons". |
| Claire Lyte, 29, is accused of five counts of sexual activity with a child. | Claire Lyte, 29, is accused of five counts of sexual activity with a child. |
| Ms Lyte, of Shirley, Solihull in the West Midlands, has denied the charges at Liverpool Crown Court. | Ms Lyte, of Shirley, Solihull in the West Midlands, has denied the charges at Liverpool Crown Court. |
| The victim's grandmother, aged 89, told the jury on Thursday that her own daughter, the alleged victim's mother, had arrived at her home "very very upset" after claiming to have found the coach in bed with her daughter. | The victim's grandmother, aged 89, told the jury on Thursday that her own daughter, the alleged victim's mother, had arrived at her home "very very upset" after claiming to have found the coach in bed with her daughter. |
| I stood up and I called her a bloody paedophile Victim's grandmother | I stood up and I called her a bloody paedophile Victim's grandmother |
| She told the court: "She said she didn't know what to do and she didn't know where to turn to." | She told the court: "She said she didn't know what to do and she didn't know where to turn to." |
| Motorway meeting | Motorway meeting |
| The grandmother said she then tried to persuade her daughter to go to the police but she refused saying she was "too ashamed". | The grandmother said she then tried to persuade her daughter to go to the police but she refused saying she was "too ashamed". |
| The court was told the family of the alleged victim then agreed to meet Ms Lyte and her family at a motorway service station to discuss the situation. | The court was told the family of the alleged victim then agreed to meet Ms Lyte and her family at a motorway service station to discuss the situation. |
| The grandmother said: "My daughter said she was going to Knutsford to meet the parents of Claire Lyte and I told her she couldn't drive there alone and I was going too." | The grandmother said: "My daughter said she was going to Knutsford to meet the parents of Claire Lyte and I told her she couldn't drive there alone and I was going too." |
| She said that at the meeting, Mr Lyte told her his daughter "would never do anything like that'. | She said that at the meeting, Mr Lyte told her his daughter "would never do anything like that'. |
| "I lost my temper because it was so awful and I stood up and I called her a bloody paedophile. | "I lost my temper because it was so awful and I stood up and I called her a bloody paedophile. |
| "She burst into tears and I asked her how many other children have you spoiled. It was very upsetting." | "She burst into tears and I asked her how many other children have you spoiled. It was very upsetting." |
| The woman said Mr Lyte was initially pleading, but this turned to threats when he told her "he had got friends in high places and he knew Masons". | The woman said Mr Lyte was initially pleading, but this turned to threats when he told her "he had got friends in high places and he knew Masons". |
| Questioned in court, the grandmother admitted that she did not know the full facts of the sex case as she thought her daughter found it "too upsetting" to give her such details. | Questioned in court, the grandmother admitted that she did not know the full facts of the sex case as she thought her daughter found it "too upsetting" to give her such details. |
| David Mason, defending, has suggested to the jury that the incident involving the alleged victim and Ms Lyte never took place and that it was fabricated by the mother who was upset that her daughter's tennis career was coming to an end. | David Mason, defending, has suggested to the jury that the incident involving the alleged victim and Ms Lyte never took place and that it was fabricated by the mother who was upset that her daughter's tennis career was coming to an end. |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |