Coach Accused of Molesting Girl

(Liverpool, England) A 28-year-old tennis coach, Claire Lyte, has been accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl.

Lyte faces five charges of sex assault, one charge related to an October 2005 incident and four new charges for alleged offenses between May 2005 and June 2006. The new charges were filed yesterday in Liverpool Crown Court.

The Lawn Tennis Association has suspended Lyte's coaching license.

Lyte has denied all charges. Her trial is scheduled to start on October 1st in Liverpool Crown Court.


[Update 10/01/07]

Claire Lyte's trial has started and the salacious details are being presented by the prosecution. The girl's mother allegedly caught Lyte and her daughter engaged in lesbian lovemaking on more than one occasion. Lyte's DNA was found in the 13-year-old girl's knickers which were found in Lyte's apartment.

Lyte, 29, continues to deny the charges as the case continues in Liverpool Crown Court.


[Update 10/02/07]

The teen victim, now 15, gave testimony.

The 15-year-old broke down in tears as she explained why she had not exposed what was allegedly happening sooner.

"She said if I was to say anything to anybody she would hurt me and she would stop my tennis completely and would tell the academy to get rid of me," the girl said.

She insisted she had felt pressured into the relationship. "Every time something happened, I never wanted it to," she added. "It happened because I felt under pressure."

Jurors were told the girl sent Lyte intimate text messages, referring to herself as the coach's "babyface" and promising to love her for ever.

The trial continues.


[Update 10/18/07]

Claire Lyte found guilty.

Tennis coach Claire Lyte was convicted today of molesting one of her 13-year-old female students.

The 29-year-old was found guilty of four out of five counts of sexual activity with the child, who was her pupil at the Lawn Tennis Association Academy. The jury failed to reach a verdict on the final count.

The panel, sitting at Liverpool Crown Court, rejected Lyte's claims that the allegations were invented by the child's "ambitious" and "pushy" mother, who was bitter that the youngster would not make the grade as a professional tennis player.

The court heard that Lyte, of Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, was found with the girl naked and having oral sex when the mother returned home early from a party.

The two-week trial was also told that Lyte had offered to baby-sit the child and they had shared a Bournemouth hotel room during a tennis tournament.

Lyte admitted wearing the girl's underwear and receiving romantic text messages from the young player, but denied anything inappropriate had taken place.

She told the court: "The family have all told lies. It is all made up. I think the mother knew about her daughter's infatuation with me."

Lyte is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2nd. It's reported that she broke down in tears outside the courtroom.


[Update 11/02/07]

Lyte gets jail.