Law change will ban coaches from sex with under-18s
Sport to be brought into line with education Woodward ‘proud’ after he spoke out last year
A year to the day since football’s paedophile scandal erupted, the sports minister announced yesterday an agreement had been struck to outlaw coaches having sex with 16 and 17-year-olds under their care.
Tracey Crouch told parliament the Ministry of Justice and Home Office had finally agreed to bring the industry into line with the education sector, in which it is illegal for teachers to sleep with pupils under the age of 18.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph last month, Crouch said changing the law had been her “No1 priority” but admitted the legislative timetable was “incredibly tight” amid Brexit.
The NSPCC in January called for the closure of a “loophole” allowing coaches to have relationships with 16 and 17-year-olds under their care.
That came on the back of football’s worst scandal, which erupted two months earlier when Andy Woodward revealed he had been the victim of child sexual abuse, prompting an avalanche of similar revelations from other players.
Speaking at yesterday’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport parliamentary questions session, Crouch said: “It is a year ago today since Andy Woodward, the ex-crewe Alexandra player, reported historic allegations. He was incredibly brave to do so.
“As a consequence of that courage, he has made sure that we in Government and other parts of the sporting sector has taken this issue incredibly seriously, which is why I am pleased to announce that I have secured ministerial agreement with the Ministry of Justice and Home Office to change laws on positions of trust so that it includes sports coaches.”
Welcoming the announcement, Woodward – who yesterday warned children were no safer in football today than this time last year – revealed he had met with Crouch, adding: “I feel quite proud that they have changed the law due to me speaking out last year.”
Crouch’s announcement came a month after British sport’s most senior child protection officer, Anne Tiivas, condemned what she branded “a lack of will” to close a legal loophole.
Reacting to Crouch’s statement, the head of the Child Protection in Sport Unit – a partnership between the NSPCC, Sport England, Sport Northern Ireland and Sport Wales – said: “It’s hard to believe but, at present, there are no laws to stop a sports coach or youth worker having sex with 16 and 17-year-old children in their care. We know that some sports coaches spend years grooming young people and then, as soon as their 16th birthday comes around, they target them for sex.
“Ever since the football abuse scandal broke, we have been strongly urging Government to close this loophole that leaves children in sports, and other out-ofschool, clubs vulnerable to adults who want to prey on them.”