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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Tennis coach guilty of sex abuse | Tennis coach guilty of sex abuse |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A top 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 four 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. |
| The judge warned Lyte, of Solihull, West Midlands, that she faced an "inevitable" custodial sentence. | The judge warned Lyte, of Solihull, West Midlands, that she faced an "inevitable" custodial sentence. |
| Lyte will not face a retrial for a fifth count of sexual activity with a child, on which the jury could not reach a decision. | Lyte will not face a retrial for a fifth count of sexual activity with a child, on which the jury could not reach a decision. |
| 'Overwhelming case' | 'Overwhelming case' |
| Judge Nigel Gilmour QC told the jury he had offered Lyte the chance to change her pleas at the start of the trial. | Judge Nigel Gilmour QC told the jury he had offered Lyte the chance to change her pleas at the start of the trial. |
| He said: "The view I formed then hasn't changed since and it is that the defendant faced an overwhelming case. | He said: "The view I formed then hasn't changed since and it is that the defendant faced an overwhelming case. |
| "And the majority of you have the same opinion. The views of the majority coincide entirely with mine." | "And the majority of you have the same opinion. The views of the majority coincide entirely with mine." |
| This has been a very difficult time for all involved and our sympathies have been with the victim and her family throughout the ordeal LTA statement | This has been a very difficult time for all involved and our sympathies have been with the victim and her family throughout the ordeal LTA statement |
| 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. | 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. |
| It was also revealed just days 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. | |
| 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. | 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 since 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 since abandoned this policy to run a network of 14 centres around the country, meaning children stay at home as their skills are nurtured. |
| Sex Offenders' Register | Sex Offenders' Register |
| In a statement the LTA said: "This has been a very difficult time for all involved and our sympathies have been with the victim and her family throughout the ordeal. | In a statement the LTA said: "This has been a very difficult time for all involved and our sympathies have been with the victim and her family throughout the ordeal. |
| "The LTA has worked closely with Merseyside Police throughout this case assisting them with their inquiries wherever possible in order to ensure the case reached resolution. | "The LTA has worked closely with Merseyside Police throughout this case assisting them with their inquiries wherever possible in order to ensure the case reached resolution. |
| "We intend to continue working with the police to help us further develop our procedures in child protection." | "We intend to continue working with the police to help us further develop our procedures in child protection." |
| Lyte's tennis career began at the age of 10 and included her playing at Wimbledon. | Lyte's tennis career began at the age of 10 and included her playing at Wimbledon. |
| The jury, who found her 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. | The jury, who found her 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. | 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, and was comforted by her parents. |