More British athletes convicted in connection with Baptiste case
Summary
Five former British athletes were convicted in Morocco for involvement in the enticement of a minor during a case linked to Leon Baptiste, a former sprinter and coach who was jailed for sexual assault. The group said they did not know about the convictions until informed by the media and deny knowingly breaking the law.Key Facts
- Leon Baptiste, a 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in Morocco and sentenced to eight months in prison.
- Will Sharman, his brother Richard Sharman, Lamin Deen, Ashley O'Leary Jones, and David Tuck were convicted of participating in the enticement of a minor.
- The men received suspended four-month sentences and fines of about £40 each.
- The convictions were based on evidence that the men helped Baptiste persuade the minor to engage in sexual relations.
- All were acquitted of charges related to inciting the minor to engage in prostitution.
- The group claims they were unaware of the girl's age and did not knowingly participate in illegal activities.
- The incident involved a raid on a villa near Marrakech after the girl reported not being paid for sex and being assaulted.
- The men say they thought they had resolved the matter by paying an administrative fine and were shocked by the court rulings they learned about later.
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