Leeds tennis coach on trial accused of sex assaults on pupils

A COACH at a Leeds tennis club has gone on trial accused of carrying out a series of sexual assaults on teenage pupils.
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A jury heard Derek Munro, 59, had a sexual relationship with one of the alleged victims while she was under the age of 16.

Munro is also accused of “rubbing” himself against another teenager while he was teaching her to play tennis strokes.

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He is also alleged to have sexually assaulted her while in the bar of club.

Leeds Crown Court heard a third complainant is alleged to have been sexually assaulted on one occasion during a tennis lesson when she was 16.

Munro, of Wigton Avenue, Alwoodley, pleads not guilty to six offences of indecent assault and eight offences of sexual assault.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1990 and 2013.

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Tony Kellbrick, prosecuting, said the six indecent assaults were specimen counts which related to offences said to have been committed against one girl during the 1990s when she was aged 14 and 15.

Mr Kellbrick said the complainant would give evidence at the trial to say she was in a relationship with Munro at the time and the offences were committed when she was under the age of 16.

Seven sexual assault offences are alleged to have been committed against another pupil over a nine year period from when she was aged 14.

The jury was shown a recording of the woman describing to police how Munro would rub up against her from behind during tennis lessons.

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She also described how on one occasion Munro sexually assaulted her as he put a snowball down her top.

The woman also said Munro invited her to visit his villa in Marbella when his wife was not there so they could “have fun”.

She said Munro would often send her messages on MSN Messenger describing her as “sexy”. On another occasion she said he appeared on a webcam and told her he was “excited.”

She said: “He would always touch me up and feel my legs and stuff.”

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Mr Kellbrick told the jury that the complaints came to light in early 2014.

He said: “There had been a party at the club and somebody made a complaint about the way the defendant behaved.

“His name came out into the open and as a result these complaints were made and an investigation began.”

Mr Kellbrick said Munro was interviewed in relation to the first woman. The prosecutor said Munro did not deny that the alleged events took place but claimed they took place after she was 16.

Munro denied committing offences against the other two complainants and said they were making up their accounts.

The trial continues.