Leigh gym owner jailed for child sex assault

LEIGH GYM OWNER JAILED FOR CHILD SEX ASSAULT

A judge has sentenced Leigh Matthew Rattenbury to three and a half years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 13.

The court condemned his "disturbing" lack of remorse for the crime.

Rattenbury, 42, of Chestnut Avenue in Gosfield, insisted he was giving the child a massage, claiming innocence despite video evidence shown during the three-day trial that prosecutors said captured the sexual assault.

Jurors reached a verdict in under an hour, having been presented with videos of the incident.

The court heard that a woman who saw the assault in progress filmed it and immediately contacted police, actions which prosecutors said led to the conviction and spared the victim from having to testify in court.

The videos, spanning half an hour, showed a sustained sexual assault, according to the judge.

Rattenbury was found guilty after a trial in which he waived his right to a lawyer and answered police questions, with his electronic devices revealing no evidence of a sexual interest in children.

Despite claiming he was innocent and that the video was a misunderstanding caused by his angle, the jury rejected his explanation.

The sentencing reflected the court's view that the victim, who was under 13, had been "irrevocably damaged," suffering panic attacks and anxiety about encountering Rattenbury again.

Her mother expressed anger at his apparent lack of remorse.

The judge remarked that Rattenbury's actions had a "profound negative impact" on her life.

Rattenbury, a sports therapist and co-founder of Club One Hundred Gym, was also noted to have maintained his innocence during probation interviews, although later beginning to accept responsibility.

The court ordered Rattenbury to serve half his sentence in prison and the other half on licence; upon release, he must register as a sex offender and stay under a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Rattenbury showed no emotion as he was taken to prison.

The police praised the witness who captured the video evidence, emphasizing her bravery in reporting the assault.

The gym's spokesperson stated that no concerns had previously been raised about Rattenbury, and he was removed from his position following his conviction.