A predatory former Olympic swimmer has been jailed for 21 years for raping two teenage girls and forcing them to have sex with ‘strange’ men.
Antony James, 35, who represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympic Games, was convicted of grooming and ‘repeatedly’ sexually abusing two schoolgirls.
James tried to portray himself as a friendly and often charming man who had suffered a ‘Shakespearean fall from grace’ and was not aware of his victims’ true ages.
But in reality, he was a ‘serial liar and manipulator’.
James lavished attention on his first victim when she was just 14 and he was 21, making her ‘feel loved’ and like the pair were in a relationship before raping her in her own home.
He then moved onto his second victim, another schoolgirl who he raped on two occasions.
At his sentencing today at Plymouth Crown Court, Judge Robert Linford said James was a ‘high-achieving swimmer’ who was ‘held in high regard by many’ but had ‘ruthlessly exploited that’ for his own sexual pleasure.
He was jailed for eight years for his sick crimes against the first victim and 13 years for the second, taking his total sentence to 21 years.
Smirking Antony James was today jailed for 21 years after raping and grooming two schoolgirls
The former Olympic swimmer represented Team GB at the London 2012 Games
James was convicted of multiple counts of child sex offences at Plymouth Crown Court. Pictured: In 2010
The court heard how James repeatedly touched’ his first victim intimately on at least four occasions.
The judge said, despite the defendant’s claims, the ‘evidence you knew full well her age was utterly overwhelming.’
He added: ‘You knew what you were doing was seriously wrong but your desire for this young person overtook your self control.’
The judge said he had ‘manufactured’ a relationship but ‘betrayed that by raping her in her own home.’
He added: ‘These offences span the period between 2012 and 2016 and by 2016 your interest in the second victim had taken over.’
Of the second victim, the judge added: ‘There were two occasions of rape. She found it painful yet you persisted. She did not resist – instead she submitted – that is very far from consent.’
‘You were a high achieving swimmer nationally and internationally. You were held in high regard by many.
James leaving Plymouth Crown Court in October 2023
James pictured competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the Men’s 100m butterfly
James (pictured) had suffered ‘a Shakespearean fall from grace’ since retiring from swimming according to his own legal defence
‘You groomed these two people. You ruthlessly exploited that for your own sexual pleasure.’
Judge Linford sentenced James to eight years in relation to offences committed against the first victim and 13 years for the second. These will run consecutively.
As part of today’s hearing, one of James’ victims told Plymouth Crown Court how her ordeal had impacted her.
Speaking directly to James, the second victim said that she hoped one day her cells would heal so she had a ‘body that was never touched and is clean of you’.
She went on to describe how she felt her ‘formative teenage years had been stripped away’ and told the court how she still suffers from anxiety and panic attacks to this day.
‘The person I was supposed to be was taken from me – I always wondered what type of girl I would be if you didn’t do this to me. I feel like I’m playing catch up.’
The victim added that James was a ‘twisted and strange’ person who ‘tampered and manipulated’ her.
She said: ‘After what you did I was left feeling vulnerable, weak and trampled.
James was charged with multiple child sex offences in October 2023
He was sentenced today at Plymouth Crown Court (pictured)
‘I accept you are not a good man, you do not love me and think I am special – you groomed me to be exactly what you wanted and used me.
‘I hope you are struggling to live with what you have done – but somehow I doubt you will.’
The incidents are alleged to have taken place over a decade-long period between 2012 and 2022, with James having initially faced a total of 20 charges relating to three female victims.
At an earlier hearing he had pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent photographs of a child – including two in the most serious category.
James denied eight counts of rape, four counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and inviting a third party to have sex with a child.
James, of Plymouth, Devon, was also charged with controlling and coercive behaviour.
However, following a lengthy trial, James was found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of rape when she was over 16 in relation to the first victim.
He was also convicted of two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity in relation to his second victim.
The jury was unable to reach verdicts on five further counts of rape and a further charge of sexual activity with a child.
He was cleared of other counts of controlling or coercive behaviour and two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act.
Following his initial arrest, James was suspended from his role at Devon and Cornwall Police where he was a student police officer. He is no longer an employee of the force.
In mitigation, his defence barrister Joe Stone KC said he was ‘not a normal defendant.’
He added: ‘He is of extremely good character and achieved Olympic level.
‘Yes, he is going to prison, he knows that, but there is another side to his character the court can reflect on.
‘The fall from grace from the Olympics is a fall from grace of Shakespearean proportions.’
James was told he would serve two thirds of his sentence before being released on licence and would be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
