ALFIE MOREL, HAMPSHIRE FOOTBALL COACH, JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF BOYS

A football coach from Hampshire, Alfie Morel, aged 24, has been sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in prison after being convicted of eight sexual offences, including attempted rape. The crimes were committed during 2020 and 2021 and only came to light after one of the victims, a 12-year-old, confided in his mother that Morel had sent him unsolicited sexual messages.

Morel was found guilty in January of multiple charges, notably including attempted rape. The investigation revealed that he had groomed boys through online platforms, primarily via Instagram and Snapchat, where he shared images and engaged in sexual communication. Prosecutors explained that Morel shared images on Instagram and later moved to Snapchat to exploit the platform's message deletion capabilities, which allowed him to erase compromising exchanges.

During the sentencing at Portsmouth Crown Court, the judge called out Morel for his inappropriate behavior, telling him to "stop smirking." One parent who read an impact statement to the court described her son as "tormented" by the experience, expressing she felt "totally broken" and had lost faith in child protection systems.

The court heard that Morel targeted vulnerable and insecure boys, some of whom divulged personal details, including his own mental health struggles, which he used to manipulate them. His abuses took place in the victims' homes and inside his own car.

It was also revealed that Morel had used his position to gain the trust of young football enthusiasts, with the court noting that he "ingratiated" himself with the boys, who were "football mad." Prosecutors stated that he lied, manipulated, coerced, bribed, and cajoled for his own sexual gratification, exploiting the trust placed in him.

The FA issued a statement welcoming the conviction, condemning Morel's actions, and praising the bravery of the victims who had come forward. Hampshire County Council confirmed that their children's services department was involved following concerns raised by a school but declined to share further details, emphasizing confidentiality and the responsibility of schools to carry out safeguarding checks.

Hampshire Constabulary's Detective Sergeant Barry Martin highlighted the severity of the case, noting that even for experienced investigators, it was "quite a shocking case." He added that without the courage of the victims in providing evidence, Morel might have continued offending.

In addition to attempted rape, Morel was convicted of three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and two counts of sexual communication with a child. He also admitted to another count of sexual communication during his trial and was acquitted of a rape charge.