Timothy Mawer 55

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A sick badminton coach who abused more than a dozen teenage boys in unusually vile acts has been jailed for 20 years.

Timothy Mawer was a master of manipulation who groomed the teens with kindness and fancy cars before systematically abusing them.

The 52-year-old from Cleethorpes carried out more than 60 attacks on 13 separate boys, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Mawer often met his victims through badminton coaching at schools and youth clubs, and mutual interests in trainspotting.

His attacks destroyed the lives of many of his victims, with some considering committing suicide, while others suffered mental health problems, and drink or drug addictions.

One man said in a victim impact statement: He befriended me and my family. He portrayed himself as a near perfect character.

The court heard how Mawer befriended his victims and invited them to his home. They were then persuaded to play cards with him, with sexual forfeits for the loser.

Sam Skinner, prosecuting, told the court: The defendants offending was systematic, persistent, planned and gradually increased in severity and degradation.

This was a campaign of offending that corrupted the lives of more than a dozen boys.

Some of the acts he carried out were unusually vile.

In total there are 62 incidents. The period of offending is approximately 18 years. It began in 1985-1986 and ended in April 2003.

Some were as young as 13. The rest were about 14 years old when this defendant offended against them.

This defendant was working as a self-employed sports coach teaching badminton. He taught adults and children. When he was working with children, he was in a position of trust. He was a successful coach who was well-known locally and abroad.

He coached in schools and youth clubs. He made friends with lots of boys aged between 12 and 16. He also visited Lincoln Railway Station where he befriended boys who were trainspotting.

He selected those whom he could influence and groom. This grooming took weeks and months depending on the boy. He gave these boys his time, his attention and his money. They were impressed by his fast cars and his clothes.

The police investigation began in January 2016 after one of the victims came forward, and other victims were later identified.

Mawer was originally due to be sentenced in 2019, but a further six victims came forward as a result of media reports around the trial.

He was scheduled to stand trial for the additional charges this week, but changed to his pleas to guilty.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, defending Mawer, said he was of previous good character and is remorseful and ashamed for what he did.

He said: This offending started when he was himself young. The most recent offending took place 18 years ago.

In that time Mr Mawer has been a badminton coach of some considerable repute and success. He has taught many thousands of pupils both here and abroad.

Mawer, formerly of Long Beach, Haventhorpe Park Holiday Centre in Cleethorpes, admitted a total of 27 charges of indecent assault on a male person between 1985 and 2003.

He was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and banned for life from working with children and vulnerable people. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him: You were a successful coach who was well-known. Over a period of 18 years, you misused that position and the ostentatious lifestyle you had to abuse 13 children between the ages of 13 and 15 in a sexual manner.

It is plain that in their different ways, all of the complainants have been profoundly affected by your abuse of them. You caused each and every one of them real and lasting damage.

You caused harm to each of them for no other reason than to gain sexual gratification for yourself. A striking aspect of what you did involved the humiliation of some of these boys.

You won them over through kindness, apparent generosity and flash cars. You persistently and systematically abused young boys over a period of almost two decades.

Detective Inspector David McKean from Lincolnshire Polices Protecting Vulnerable People unit, said after the sentencing: This man used and abhorrently abused the trust that young people, their parents and the community including schools and youth clubs placed in him as a badminton coach.

He coerced young boys into shockingly depraved sexual acts which they have had to live with. The victims have shown incredible bravery to come forward and support our investigation and I hope this sentence provides them with some closure.

We have officers who are specifically trained to help and support victims of sexual offences. We treat every report sensitively and respectfully, so please do contact us if you have been keeping something to yourself."