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Tennis coach guilty of sex abuse Tennis coach guilty of sex abuse
(20 minutes later)
A tennis coach has been found guilty of sexually abusing a Merseyside schoolgirl she taught. A top tennis coach has been found guilty of sexually abusing a Merseyside schoolgirl she taught.
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court convicted Claire Lyte, 29, of two counts of sexual activity with a child. The jury at Liverpool Crown Court convicted Claire Lyte, 29, of four counts of sexual activity with a child.
The court heard the 13-year-old girl's mother caught her daughter and the coach naked and in bed together in October 2005.The court heard the 13-year-old girl's mother caught her daughter and the coach naked and in bed together in October 2005.
Lyte, of Solihull, West Midlands, who taught the girl at a national tennis academy, wore the girl's knickers. The judge warned Lyte, of Solihull, West Midlands, that she faced an "inevitable" custodial sentence.
During the three week trial the court heard that Lyte, named as Young Coach of the Year in 2001, had slept in the same room as the youngster, who cannot be named, at tennis tournaments. Lyte will not face a retrial for a fifth count of sexually activity with a child, on which the jury could not reach a decision.
During the three-week trial the court heard that Lyte, named as Young Coach of the Year in 2001, had slept in the same room as the youngster, who cannot be named, at tennis tournaments.
Policy changedPolicy changed
It was also revealed that a day before the girl's mother found the pair in bed together Lyte had been given an official warning by her bosses at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).It was also revealed that a day before the girl's mother found the pair in bed together Lyte had been given an official warning by her bosses at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
She was later given another warning for her conduct with young players she coached.She was later given another warning for her conduct with young players she coached.
Following Thursday's verdict the LTA said it had radically restructured its youth academy scheme in light of the case of Lyte.Following Thursday's verdict the LTA said it had radically restructured its youth academy scheme in light of the case of Lyte.
It meant children who previously lived too far away to commute to the tennis academy, like the victim, had to lodge with local families and start at new schools, often seeing their parents only at weekends.It meant children who previously lived too far away to commute to the tennis academy, like the victim, had to lodge with local families and start at new schools, often seeing their parents only at weekends.
But the LTA has now abandoned this policy to run a network of 14 centres around the country, meaning children stay at home as their skills are nurtured.But the LTA has now abandoned this policy to run a network of 14 centres around the country, meaning children stay at home as their skills are nurtured.
Lyte's tennis career began at the age of 10 and included her playing as a competitor at Wimbledon.
The jury, who found the tennis coach guilty by a 10-2 majority on four of the five charges she faced, had been shown intimate text messages exchanged between the pair mentioning love and sexual references.
Lyte, who will be made to sign the Sex Offenders' Register, was bailed and will be sentenced on 2 November.
Outside court she broke down in tears, comforted by her parents.