Former Plymouth Olympian will not face retrial on five counts of rape

A former Olympic swimmer and student police officer will not face a retrial on five counts of rape - but will be sentenced for three other counts relating to sexual assaults on two girls.

Antony James, 34, was convicted by a jury at Plymouth Crown Court of eight charges, including three counts of rape, three of sexual activity with a child, and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

James - who represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Games and the Commonwealth Games in 2010 where he won a silver and bronze medal - was granted conditional bail by the judge until his sentence date, which is still to be fixed.

Judge Robert Linford directed not guilty verdicts for three counts of intentionally encouraging/assisting an offence. The jury could not reach a verdict on one count of sexual activity with a child, and five counts of rape. The Crown Prosecution Service was given seven working days to decide whether to seek a retrial on those counts.

The CPS has today confirmed to PlymouthLive that they would not be seeking a retrial on those six counts. A spokesperson for the Service said the two complainants had been informed of the decision.

James, from Crownhill, was a student officer with Devon and Cornwall Police at the time of his arrest. He had denied all the charges, which took place over a 10-year period between 2012 and 2022.

The jury found that he had sexually touched one of the girls when she was 15 and raped her after she turned 16. He was also found guilty of raping her after she had turned 16, once in the back of his car.

The jury heard prosecution describe him as a "serial liar and manipulator" who had effectively groomed each of the two girls revealing his "perverse sexual needs and desires".

Prosecutor Lee Bremridge told the jury during his opening statement that James "knew all about psychology" as he manipulated the girls, having studied for a degree in psychology at Plymouth University, graduating in 2015.

Following the jury's verdicts Judge Linford told James him to expect a "substantial prison sentence" before granting him conditional bail.

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