Sex abuse doctor gets extra term

The former sports doctor whose serial sexual abuse of girls and young women upended the American gymnastics world was sentenced yesterday to a third prison term of 40 to 125 years behind bars for molesting young athletes at an elite Michigan training centre.

Larry Nassar listened to dozens of victims for two days last week and was almost attacked by a man whose three daughters said they were abused. He pleaded guilty to penetrating young athletes with ungloved hands when they sought treatment for injuries at Twistars, a gymnastics club that was run by a 2012 US Olympic coach.

Nassar’s conduct “has robbed these girls and women of one of the most truly important human qualities: trust,” Judge Janice Cunningham said.

The sentence is largely symbolic because the 54-year-old is already assured of spending the rest of his life in prison. Before serving either of his two state sentences, he must first serve 60 years in federal prison for child pornography crimes.

In addition to the sentence delivered yesterday in Eaton County, Nassar was also sentenced last month to 40 to 175 years for similar conduct in another county. Those sentences would be served at the same time.

In a brief statement before he was sentenced, Nassar attempted to apologise to his victims.

“It’s impossible to convey the breadth and depth of how sorry I am to each and every one,” he said.

The longtime leader of USA Gymnastics, Steve Penny, quit last March, and all board members recently stepped down at the demand of the US Olympic Committee.