Former Olympian arranged teen sex, trial told

Antony James denies 20 charges relating to sexual offences including rape and sexual assault

A former Olympic swimmer accused of multiple sex offences is alleged to have arranged for a teenage girl to have sex with other men, a jury has heard.

Antony James, 34, from Plymouth, denies 20 charges relating to sexual offences including rape and sexual assault.

Plymouth Crown Court was told the teenager had been "controlled and manipulated" into doing what Mr James wanted her to do.

Joe Stone KC, representing Mr James, said he had "at all times" believed the three claimants in the case were "fully consenting" to all of the sexual acts alleged.

'Dynamic of relationships'

Mr Stone said Mr James believed the alleged victims were over the age of 16 at the time.

He said the court had heard the prosecution case that the young women had been "forced and coerced".

Mr Stone said the defence case was that this was "absolutely not the case" and "each young woman was perfectly happy to do the sexual acts alleged".

"No one, not a single one of these three young women, was ever forced to do anything they did not want to do," he said.

Referring to 200 pages of evidence, including text message exchanges, which the jury would be asked to consider, Mr Stone said that "sexuality and the nature and dynamic of relationships" were the main part of the case.

He said: "Texts can be a hotline into the consciousness of the person sending and receiving them.

"You are going to have to look at these individuals and get inside their minds."

Judge Robert Linford told the jury to begin listening to the evidence in the case with an "entirely blank canvas" and put out of their minds any "feelings of emotion or sympathy" in one direction or another.

The case continues and is expected to last for four weeks.