Team GB Olympian who competed at London 2012 convicted of raping two teenage girls

Former Olympic swimmer and trainee police officer Antony James, 34, has been found guilty of sexual abuse

James competing in the Men’s 100m Butterfly at London 2012 (PA)

A swimmer who represented Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics has been convicted of raping two teenage girls.

Antony James, 34, a former trainee police officer “manipulated and controlled” his teenage victims.

He was this week 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. 

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 has been given seven days to decide whether to seek a retrial on those counts.

James, who was a student officer with Devon and Cornwall Police at the time of his arrest, had denied the charges.

He had previously pleaded guilty to six other counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

Gemma Kneebone from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Antony James manipulated and controlled his teenage victims to fulfil his own sexual desires.

“He claimed that these young victims were over 16 at the time, but this was a lie which collapsed under scrutiny. James was well aware of how young these victims were, and he set out to take advantage of this in a truly appalling manner.

“This prosecution would not have been possible without the evidence so bravely provided by the young women involved, and I would like to thank them for coming forward to support the case.

“The CPS is determined to deliver justice for victims of sexual abuse – and for every victim to have confidence that we will not hesitate to bring the strongest possible charges against those who carry out these heinous crimes.”

The sprinter is said to have represented Great Britain in the men’s 100 butterfly at the 2012 Olympics in London.

He also swam at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where he won silver in the 100 fly and 400 medley relay bronze for England, according to Swimming World magazine.

James was granted conditional bail by the judge until his sentence date, which is yet to be fixed.