How did gym coach sex abuser get away with it for so long?

Gymnastics coach Martin O’Hara was dismissed by a Sussex club after allegations of sexual abuse of a girl in 1995.

The club informed British Gymnastics (BG) in the same year but no action was taken.

O’Hara continued to abuse another girl until 1997 and was able to work as a coach with youngsters until his eventual arrest in 2013.

The paedophile is currently serving a six year jail sentence for eight cases of indecent assault against both girls.

Today questions are being asked about why BG did not take action over the original allegations allowing him to abuse the second victim and to work with children for almost two decades.

He went on to coach at other clubs, teach at schools and meet children at amateur dramatics societies.

In another development The Argus understands that in 2007 the sport's national governing body were contacted with concerns about whether O'Hara was safe to work with children - by which time he left a school in Handcross after disciplinary proceedings and the revelation he had been writing love letters to an underage girl.

However, it is thought BG at the time said he had a clean record and the body took no further action.

He was only investigated and arrested by police when a coach reported him in 2013 and an alleged victim came forward. Another girl then made a statement when she read he had been charged in The Argus.

Now 50, and of Medmerry Hill, Brighton, O'Hara denied the allegations - none of which related to his work at schools - and stood trial in October.

He was convicted by a jury of eight indecent assaults against two girls in the 1990s and jailed in November for six years. He has appealed both his conviction and sentence.

A relative of a victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons but agreed to speak to The Argus, said the governing body put reputation before safe guarding, adding: "I have profound concerns over its handling of the situation and failure to report anything to the police, thus allowing him to continue with his insidious grooming for years, putting many girls in a vulnerable position. It needs to examine its procedures."

Another involved in the case told this newspaper BG should have acted as soon as they were told of his behaviour in 1995.

The person, who has to remain anonymous, said: "This is a huge concern. There were warning signs, they were made aware but they did not act. It was brushed under the carpet, and questions have been met with a wall of silence since. BG needs to handle things like this differently. Clubs or schools should no longer be allowed to deal with something like this internally."

BG initially ignored calls from The Argus and then refused to comment.

After this newspaper contacted the chief executive, chairman and other bosses, a statement was released which said: "We take all issues around safeguarding and protection extremely seriously and work with some of the country’s leading experts in this area. Where and when it is deemed appropriate, we will always work with the authorities to ensure our commitments around the safeguarding and protection of young people are upheld in line with our clear guidance, policies, procedures and law. This was the scenario in relation to the case in question."

The department for culture, media and sport said: "Sports governing bodies, clubs and coaches have a clear duty of care to young people who attend sports clubs.”

BG SPORTS BODY’S WALL OF SILENCE ON PREDATORY COACH

THE OLYMPIC glory of Beth Tweddle and Louis Smith has catapulted gymnastics into the public eye.

The nation’s skill for the sport is celebrated and it has become the dream of growing numbers of children eager to follow in their  champions' footsteps.  The picture painted by British Gymnastics (BG) on its website – emblazoned with the slogan "More than a sport" – is one full of optimism which impresses the importance of its duty of care to youngsters and vows to protect them in their ambition. 

But up until the conviction of coach Martin O’Hara, the reality for some Sussex children keen to follow in their champions’ footsteps was very different. 

The national governing body’s conduct in helping to bring a predator to justice has been called into question and has left uncertainty over its conviction in its promise to parents and budding gymnasts. 

Described as a popular and talented coach who was well known in the county for his work in the industry, it came as a shock to many that O’Hara was accused of the sexual offences against three girls as young as 13 between 1993 and 2011. 

He denied the allegations and stood trial in October. 

The court heard how he abused his position of trust to befriend the children in his classes before grooming them, sometimes in close proximity to their parents and friends. 

Prosecutor Abigail Husbands said O’Hara chose jobs which allowed him contact with young girls.  On the stand he repeatedly denied groping girls and kissing one after he drove her home from a gymnastics competition. 

Instead, he accused them of flirting and lying about the allegations. 

His dismissal from a gym club after he admitted a breach of etiquette was reported to BG in October 1995 but the body took no  further action. 

O’Hara insisted this was a “mutual agreement to part company” but a letter from the club’s board of control confirming the sanction was read out in court and in a letter to BG later that month, O’Hara branded the incident a “ridiculous saga” and demanded to know why it had not questioned the girl or investigated further. 

Some 12 years later it seems the organisation was asked if O’Hara was safe to work with children and no further action was taken. 

He was not arrested until 2013, 18 years since his dismissal was recorded, and only after a coach reported him and a victim came forward. 

A jury convicted him of eight indecent assaults against two girls in the 1990s and he was sent to prison in November for six years.

He has now appealed against both his conviction and sentence. A verdict could not be reached on a ninth charge of a third victim.

A hung jury was declared, prosecutors said they would not seek a re-trial and the judge entered a verdict of not guilty.

Since then the governing body has come under fire for building a wall of silence when an explanation of its inaction was demanded. 

A relative of a victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons but agreed to speak to The Argus, said: “As a relative of a girl who was subject to Martin’s predatory behaviour, I have profound concerns over British Gymnastics’ handling of the situation, its inaction and failure to report anything to the police, thus allowing him to continue with his insidious grooming for years, putting many girls in a vulnerable position.

“The governing body chose to put its reputation before and above the welfare of the children placed in their care. It needs to examine its procedures which allowed him to continue his inappropriate behaviour with better safeguarding training.”

Another person involved in the case, who has to remain anonymous, told this newspaper: “They should have investigated when he was dismissed from his first club. They and the club should have  reported it to the police, and years ago. It was left to a coach to report it who received little support from anyone throughout the investigation. 

"This is a huge concern – child protection should always come before fears over a damaged reputation. There were warning signs, they were made aware but they did not act. He was allowed to carrying on working at other clubs and open his own club which put more children at risk.

"It was brushed under the carpet, and questions have been met with a wall of silence since. BG needs to handle things like this differently. Clubs or schools should no longer be allowed to deal with something like this internally.”

The Argus tried to speak to BG repeatedly over a period of two months. Press officers ignored emails and phone calls for a month before responding but only to refuse to comment.

This newspaper then contacted chief executive Jane Allen, chairman Matt Neville, president Alan Sommerville, the South East secretary and the safeguarding team.

Only at this point did the body comment on the case, but still failed to explain its actions or reassure parents lessons had been learnt. Subsequent attempts for a further statement were ignored. 

The Argus then asked the Department for Culture, Media and Sport if sports minister Tracey Crouch will investigate BG’s conduct. It confirmed the minister was aware of this newspaper’s request but she has not commented on the case.

Instead, a spokesman said: “Sport's governing bodies, clubs and coaches have a clear duty of care to young people who attend sports clubs. 

"The child protection in sport unit provides guidance on standards for safeguarding and protecting children in sport that sports organisations have to adhere to.”

COACH’S AUSTRALIAN ACTIVITY INVESTIGATED

POLICE forces are sharing details of the investigation into Martin O’Hara. 

An Argus investigation revealed O’Hara also worked with young girls at a gymnastics club near Perth, Australia, as well as in Sussex. 

Sussex Police confirmed it would share information which led to his conviction with Western Australia Police. 

That force told this newspaper it would consider any details it was handed by Sussex Police officers and use if necessary. 

The club in question did not respond when contacted by The Argus.  This was one of a number of establishments he worked at. 

Years earlier he left a teaching post after disciplinary proceedings from Handcross Park School in Sussex after two love letters he wrote to an under-age girl not connected with the school were found. 

Police said the contents of the letters did not reveal “any evidence of criminal offences” but they were mentioned in court by the prosecutor Abigail Husbands as supporting evidence of bad character. 

A school spokeswoman said: “Martin O’Hara was employed as a teacher at Handcross Park from September 2001 to May 2004. No complaint was made against him during that time by Handcross Park pupils or parents.

"However, an allegation unconnected to the school led to his resignation. The police were informed immediately by the school.”

Before he was charged in 2013 with the sex offences, O’Hara was also arrested on suspicion of breaching police bail for contacting one of the victims and for being unsupervised with children without an approved adult supervisor. 

A police spokesman said: “There was no evidence of any specific offences having been committed. This came to notice as he was about to be charged with the offences of which he was subsequently convicted and the CPS decided not to prosecute him over the breach of bail.”

The Court of Appeal has confirmed O’Hara has lodged a challenge against both his conviction and his sentence but neither have been listed for a hearing and it is likely to be months until they are, a spokesman said.