A FORMER international rowing coach has been jailed for two years for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl.

Nigel Mayglothling, of Church Gate, Colston Bassett, near Nottingham, pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault.

The 54-year-old engaged in sex acts with the teenager between March 14,1987, and March 13, 1989, when he was living in Oxfordshire.

Matthew Walsh, prosecuting, said: “The sexual abuse was prolonged, gradual and systematic, escalating in its severity as time progressed and matters were not reported to the police.

“The defendant had in effect groomed her from the age of 13.”

He read out a statement from the victim, in which she said: “I don’t feel I was able to develop emotionally because of the abuse.

“I feel I can’t have normal relationships. I was always made to feel I was to blame for what happened.”

Adrian Langdale, defending, said his client had changed the lives of many of those he had coached over the years and added: “His achievements go beyond that of the normal person.”

Mr Langdale also disputed the suggestion that Mayglothling groomed the complainant, describing their relationship as “entirely consensual, if entirely inappropriate”.

Judge Mary Jane Mowat told the defendant the case was a difficult one to sentence, but that she had to jail him partly to reflect “reasonable public opinion”.

At the time of the offences Mayglothling was a PE teacher at the now-closed Carmel College in Wallingford. He will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.