A girls’ football coach who started a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old player has been jailed for 15 months.
Paul Robinson, himself a father of a 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, regularly slept with the young player after she turned 15.
Even after his estranged wife had found the child in her husband’s bed, Robinson denied any wrongdoing, a court heard.
The truth only came out when police found indecent photographs of the girl stored on Robinson’s computer.
Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Robinson was a coach at a youth team in the town which included both boys and girls.
Robinson first met the youngster when she was a 14-year-old player with the girls’ side but after a while people started to become suspicious about their relationship.
He said: “Both her mum and the defendant’s wife became somewhat concerned by the apparent closeness and the affection he appeared to have for her.
“It seemed to both to be somewhat unhealthy but both denied that anything inappropriate was occurring.”
Mr Meeke said there were a number of incidents of which Robinson’s wife, with whom his relationship was becoming increasingly strained, was concerned.
Mr Meeke said that when his computer was examined officers found a number of indecent pictures of the child. It was then that Robinson owned up and admitted that they had been having sex together every two weeks from July last year through to April.
Robinson, 36, of Ridge Nether Moor, Liden, pleaded guilty to ten counts of sexual activity with a child and five of taking an indecent photograph of a child.
Mr Meeke said he had been convicted in 1999 of indecent assault, after attacking a prostitute on Manchester Road.
Paul Orton, defending, said that his client now accepted what he had done was wrong and that a prison term was the only appropriate sentence.
“It is a parent’s or grandparent’s worst nightmare when their children are put in the safe custody of people to look after them that they are safe to not be abused in any shape or form.
“But unfortunately when young ladies and young men get to the age of 15 or 16 their hormones are going everywhere.” He said that the girl clearly had a crush on Robinson and while his client should have resisted he did not.
“While of course it was wrong, it was a loving relationship that made her feel secure,” he told the court.
“He was weak, very weak. He should have known better.”
Jailing him, Judge John McNaught said: “I readily accept straight away that this girl consented to everything that happened and she indeed may have made some of the running because young girls grow up so fast.
“What is serious is in this case, you were in your mid 30s and she just 15. The law has to protect girls of that age against themselves.
“You were in almost a position of trust because parents knew you were helping young people and this is not the way people should be working with young people.”
He also ordered that Robinson served a two-year extended licence during which time he can undergo a sex offenders’ programme and banned him working with children. He will also have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
