Martial art coach ‘abused girls he taught’

A MARTIAL arts master raped and abused girl pupils as young as 11, a court heard yesterday.

Curtis Page is accused of preying on vulnerable youngsters at clubs he taught at across the capital including one called the london Predators. His alleged victims saw him as a ‘father figure’.

the 60-year-old kickboxer is on trial accused of 22 historical sex assaults and rapes against three girls over a decade.

James thacker, prosecuting, said: ‘in the marital arts world he is something of a celebrity. He is well known, he is three times world champion at the sport.

‘He has taught many people who have gone on to be world and European champions.

‘to those people who he didn’t sexually abuse he can do no wrong. the prosecution simply say he has a dual personality.’

At the time of his arrest, Page was head of the Great Britain martial Arts Association and as well as vice chairman of the British Kickboxing Council. His son is the mixed martial arts champion, michael ‘Venom’ Page.

Page has now been barred from teaching after three women came forward to accuse him of sexual abuse between 1985 and 1995, isleworth Crown Court heard.

‘mr Page had a liking for young girls and groomed them,’ said mr thacker. ‘All of these girls lacked father figures in their lives and looked up to mr Page as person of authority.

‘He drove a wedge between them and their families. this man may have been a very good teacher, may have taught some people to a very high level in the sport.

‘But outside he was controlling, domineering and in relation to these three women he sexually abused from an early age.’

the kung fu expert, who told pupils to call him master Curtis Page, groped his first victim when she was 11, the court heard. He took her virginity when she was 12 and had a sexual relationship with her for years, jurors heard.

Now 42, the alleged victim told police she came forward in 2013 after seeing a photograph of herself when she was 11.

She said: ‘i looked at my picture and i was just a little girl. this was abuse. this was wrong. He has affected a lot of young people’s lives. it needs to stop.’

in a video interview played to the jury, she said: ‘i cannot sleep another night without doing the right thing. in my heart i know if he has done this to me, he could do this to others. He is not very well. He is a very sick man.’

Page repeatedly raped another underage girl after she revealed to him that she had been abused by an older man, jurors were told.

Another woman claims he indecently assaulted her twice before they started a sexual relationship when she turned 16.

Page, of Epsom, Surrey, denies the 22 sex charges, including six counts of rape. He insists he had sex with the women only when they were of age. the trial continues.

‘He was controlling and domineering’