Theatre group owner found guilty of rape and sexual abuse

Christopher Lynch abused girls aged between 15 and 19 at a theatre group he ran in Kettering

A man who sexually abused teenage girls who were pursuing acting careers "stopped them in their tracks when they were trying to pursue their dreams".

Christopher Lynch, 38, was found guilty of rape and sexual assault at Northamptonshire Crown Court.

Lynch, who ran a theatre group, had carried out the attacks between 2013 and 2017.

Northamptonshire Police said Lynch preyed on girls "at their most vulnerable".

The court heard Lynch, of St Stephens Road, Kettering, had sexually abused his victims during one-to-one auditions.

He had actively avoided having chaperones present, ensuring he and each victim were alone together in private rooms in a church, youth centre and at his home.

His victims, who were aged between 15 and 19 at the time, were led to believe he would help them further their acting careers.

In one case, the court heard, he had visited the home of a victim to discuss a play and used this opportunity to sexually assault her.

Lynch's abuse only came to light after victims mentioned what had happened to either family members, friends, or professionals; in some cases months or years later.

He was found guilty on Wednesday of one count of rape, three counts of sexual assault and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

He was also found guilty of two charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one of facilitating and commissioning a child sex offence.

He was found not guilty of one sexual assault.

Lead investigator, Det Con Laura Mannion, from the force's child protection team, said Lynch had been in a "position of trust".

"In the majority of these cases, he sexually abused these females when they were at their most vulnerable, when they had aspirations to be actresses, and his assaults against them stopped them in their tracks when they were trying to pursue their dreams," she said.

Lynch will be sentenced at a later date.