Former Olympic swimmer's sex offences trial begins

Antony James has been charged with 20 offences

A former Olympic swimmer has appeared in court accused of 16 sexual offences including the alleged rape of two teenage girls.

Antony James, 34, from Plymouth, also faces four other charges, including controlling behaviour in relation to an adult female.

The court was told the alleged offences took place over a 10-year period between 2012 and 2022.

The swimmer - who competed at the London 2012 games - has denied all the charges.

Mr James has been charged with four counts of sexual activity with a child, eight of rape, one of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship, two of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two of causing a child to watch a sexual act and three of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence.

'Not loving relationships'

Opening the case for the prosecution, Lee Bremridge told the jury Mr James was a man who had "sexual needs and desires" which became "increasingly more twisted and perverse as time went on".

He added two of the victims - who were both aged under 16 when Mr James met them - were groomed into thinking they were in loving relationships.

"Please don’t assume that these were normal loving relationships, how could they be?" Mr Bremridge said.

The prosecution said it was Mr James’ case that his two alleged teenage victims were over 16 at the time of the sexual activity between them.

Mr Bremridge said when the jury began to look at the evidence they would see that that was a claim which did not "bear any sensible scrutiny at all".

The trial continues and is expected to last for about four weeks.