Investigation reveals authorities receive at Hundreds of paedophiles are still using sport clubs to prey on kids

Despite DBS checks, perverts slip

HUNDREDS of coaches and officials at sports clubs across the land have been probed over child abuse, a Sunday People investigation has found.

We can reveal that sex assault allegations are far more widespread than those reported in last year’s abuse scandal at professional football clubs.

The conclusions from our probe into every local authority in England and Wales are disturbing.

Swimming, martial arts, rugby and gymnastics are the four sports worst affected after football, followed by tennis, cricket and athletics.

Parents will be horrified to learn that l ocal authorities received the equivalent of one report of abuse EVERY DAY between 2012 and 2016.

More than half of these allegations were sexual. The remaining cases concern maltreatment such as physical and emotional abuse and neglect.

Ex-golfer Chris Unsworth, director of the Offside Trust which was set up by Chris and other sport sex abuse victims including footballer Andy Woodward, said: “It is shocking that the public has been kept in the dark about the scale of this problem.”

Exploit

Last night children’s charity the NSPCC said our horrific findings proved that urgent action is needed to beef up Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

The charity wants to close two alarming loopholes that allow perverts to infiltrate sports clubs.

Offenders could lawfully have sex with 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds in their clubs because trust laws do not extend to sports coaches or youth leaders. Clubs can find out if a potential recruit is legally barred from working with children only if that person will be working unsupervised.

This means convicted sex offenders are able to get in by taking up assistant or support roles.

The latest pervert to be unmasked at a sports club is squash coach Hirusha Henricus, who was jailed for 14 years at Manchester crown court on Friday for a string of sickening offences including rape.

Henricus, 25, a coach at the