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A former Taekwondo world champion and coach who had a sexual interest in boys has been jailed for six years and ten months.
Glen Edwards, 32, of Acrefair, Wrexham, denied 14 counts alleging sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child and causing a child to watch sexual acts. But he was found guilty of twelve charges on what the judge called “quite overwhelming evidence.”
Sentencing him on Monday, July 29, Judge Niclas Parry at Mold crown court said there were eight victims “in awe of your remarkable achievements” in sport. Judge Parry said Edwards showed “no remorse whatsoever” for what he’d done.
“Rather bizarrely you claim only to have been targeted for prosecution because of your gender,” the judge remarked. Edwards was an “accomplished athlete" but the judge said: “You are now professionally ruined." Edwards must register as a sex offender for life.
The paedophile had been bailed for a pre-sentence report. But he appeared on a video link from Berwyn jail at Wrexham today. His counsel Jemma Gordon explained that his convictions had meant his home address was no longer available to him.
A female juror was tearful at the end of his trial. The judge had told the jury :”You have had to listen to some harrowing evidence. It’s had an impact on some of you. I am extremely sorry for any distress that was understandably caused.”
During the case, prosecuting barrister Simon Rogers had said Edwards “groomed” young boys and that he didn’t have “any boundaries.” “No doubt the defendant was charming, no doubt he was charismatic, but sadly the truth was he had a sexual interest in them,” Mr Rogers declared.
Edwards accepted a sexual conversation with an underage boy but it had been a “joke”, he claimed in evidence. Judge Parry had told the jury in his summing up :”Someone has lied to you.”
He added: ”Mr Edwards is charged with sexual offences against numerous complainants. The defendant claims they have lied to you.”
However, Edwards had pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with an underage boy in a car. Boys said they were sent pictures of Edwards’s groin, and one received a video of the naked defendant in a shower. A boy claimed that the defendant had discussed sexual matters and sought pictures.
Another youngster said Edwards had asked him a lewd personal question. The defendant had said “hi sexy” in a message and put kisses. Edwards insisted he wasn’t communicating “sexually.”
But he was described as “suggestive” by another of his victims. The defendant had admitted child porn allegations.