Gym instructor jailed for raping girl during 1970s

A GYMNASTICS instructor who groomed and raped victims has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of historic offences.

Jeffrey Quirk, now 74 and from Reading Road in Stratfield Turgis, was found guilty by a unanimous jury sitting at Reading Crown Court of four counts of rape, and four indecent assaults.

He was jailed on Friday, March 4. Quirk was acquitted of two other counts of rape.

The court heard that all the offences occurred in the mid- to late1970s, while working as a gymnastics instructor.

Quirk targeted his victim, who was then a teenager, by sexual grooming at locations in both Berkshire and Surrey.

The court heard that he groomed both her and her family and embarked on a pattern of sexual abuse over a long period, raping and indecently assaulting her on numerous occasions.

He assaulted his victim in a number of locations, including schools, vehicles and his own addresses.

Quirk was reported to Thames Valley Police in April 2019, via Operation Hydrant, which was established in 2014 to provide operational coordination for non-recent child sexual abuse investigations involving people of public prominence and where offending took place within an institution.

He was charged via a postal requisition on Friday, April 16, last year.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Kathryn Webb of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “This has been a lengthy investigation that has only been possible due to the courage of the victim who was abused by an older man who was in a position of trust.

“She has had to live with the consequences of Quirk’s actions for nearly 50 years, and we are pleased to see that justice has now been served.

“Thames Valley Police take all reports of sexual abuse seriously, no matter what the passage of time.

“Anyone wishing to make a report should contact 101.

“We are committed to investigating non-recent offences, and will always look to put offenders before the courts.”