Sex charge tennis coach 'threatened girl'

Oct 3 2007 by Sarah Champan, Liverpool Daily Post

A TEENAGE girl told a court her coach threatened to have her kicked out of a tennis academy if she told anyone of their sexual relationship.

Top coach Claire Lyte, 29, is accused at Liverpool Crown Court of beginning a sexual relationship with the girl when she was 13.

The former professional tennis player had been coaching the girl at the Lawn Tennis Association’s academy in Loughborough, where the country’s most gifted young players can improve their game.

Lyte, of Solihull, West Midlands, denies five charges of sexual activity with a child.

Her alleged victim, who is from Merseyside and is now aged 15, told the court her mother came home from a party early and caught them having lesbian sex in her bedroom in October 2005.

The girl wept as she told how she felt pressurised to continue the relationship and did what Lyte told her to do.

The court heard the young tennis player would often stay in the same room as Lyte when they attended tournaments together.

The girl said she also confided in Lyte and was friendly with her.

Cross-examining her, Lyte’s barrister David Mason suggested the girl had started saying she was no longer committed to being a professional tennis player and her mother was pushing her to continue at the academy.

The girl said: “I was finding it hard to come to terms with what happened in October still.

“I’ve always wanted to be a professional tennis player.”

The court heard Lyte received a written warning following a disciplinary hearing with the Lawn Tennis Association over her perceived closeness to the girl.

The alleged victim was asked why she did not put a stop to being coached by Lyte if she felt unhappy about their relationship.

She sobbed and replied: “Because I was scared.

“If I was to tell anybody, she would hurt me or stop my tennis completely and tell the academy to get rid of me.

“She said if I told anybody what happened, I would never be able to play tennis at the academy again.”

Mr Mason asked if it must have been a relief that they were both caught naked in bed by the girl’s mother. He said she could have then said she was being threatened.

The girl said: “I was still terrified of anything that would happen.”

The case continues.