Former Team GB Olympic swimmer raped teenage girls

A former British Olympic swimmer raped and sexually abused teenage girls, whom he would force to have sex with other men, a court has heard.

Antony James, 34, went on trial today accused of 27 offences against three alleged victims, including rape, sexual activity with a female under 16 and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Two of his alleged victims were teenagers at the time while the other was an adult, Plymouth Crown Court was told.

James, who represented Team GB in the men's 100-metre butterfly at London 2012, was said to have manipulated and controlled his victims as he sought to satisfy his 'perverse sexual needs'.

Lee Bremridge, prosecuting, told jurors that James was 30 years old when he groomed a young teenage girl - later forcing her to have sex with 'strange men because he got a kick out of it and it turned him on'.

One of the teenage victims alleged that James had full sex with her 'before her 16th birthday' during a secret, but very physical and sexual relationship, according to the prosecutor.

He was said to have known the ages of his young alleged victims and demanded they had sex with strangers, or took part in threesomes, the court heard.

James is also accused of using a belt to hit the adult complainant and slapping her during sex, before telling her: 'I want it to hurt.'

The prosecutor said that James strangled the woman during sex until she passed out and would call her 'a little slut' who deserved to be hurt.

Jurors were warned that the trial – due to last around a month - would feature 'unpleasant and very sexual evidence'.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Mr Bremridge said James could be charming and had graduated with a psychology degree.

But by 2020, the prosecutor claimed, his 'ability to lie, control and be manipulative was at its highest'.

James denies all the offences, which are alleged to have taken place between 2012 and 2022.

The trial continues.