Former GB swimmer who raped girls jailed for 21 years

A former Olympic swimmer and trainee police officer was jailed for 21 years yesterday after being found guilty of raping two teenage girls and a string of other sexual offences against them.

- Steven Morris

Antony James, 35, who represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Games in the 100m butterfly, groomed the girls before assaulting them, Plymouth crown court heard.

Judge Robert Linford told James: “You knew what you were doing was seriously wrong,” adding that he had a “nonchalant approach” to the “catalogue of abuse”.

The court was told James had no previous convictions and was from a supportive and loving family. Linford told him: “You were held in high regard by many. The sentence you will serve will be alien to you.”

James was convicted of three counts of rape, three 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.