James, who was also a student police officer with Devon and Cornwall Police at the time of his arrest in January 2022, faced a total of 18 charges. These included five counts of rape, multiple counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and inviting a third party to participate in sexual acts with a child. The victims, who were under 16 at the time of the offenses, were manipulated into sending explicit images and videos to James. He later raped one victim in her home kitchen and another in a car.
The court heard that James began grooming his first victim between 2012 and 2016, when she was just 15 years old. He made her feel "loved and flattered," according to prosecutor Lee Brembridge, and gradually escalated his actions from inappropriate touching to sexual assault. James attempted to justify his actions by claiming that he did not fully penetrate the victim, but the court dismissed this as a feeble excuse. On one occasion, he forced the victim’s head toward his penis in her own kitchen, demonstrating a blatant disregard for her autonomy and well-being.
The second victim, who was 15 at the time of the abuse, was coerced into sending explicit images and videos to James in late 2020. He manipulated her under the guise of "self-love," encouraging her to engage in inappropriate behavior. James later arranged to meet her near her home in January and March 2021, where he sexually assaulted her in a car. Despite the victim expressing pain, James continued the assault, further highlighting his predatory nature.
Both victims provided harrowing impact statements during the trial. The second victim described James as "twisted and strange," stating that he had manipulated her into becoming what he wanted. She expressed deep regret over the loss of her formative teenage years, wondering how her life might have been different had she never met him. She concluded her statement by expressing hope that James would struggle to live with the consequences of his actions.
Judge Robert Linford, presiding over the case at Plymouth Crown Court, described James as a "highly talented and highly regarded" individual who had abused his position of trust to groom and repeatedly sexually abuse his victims. The judge emphasized that James’s actions were premeditated and calculated, noting that he had manufactured a false sense of intimacy with his first victim before betraying her trust by raping her in her own home. Judge Linford also condemned James’s nonchalant attitude toward his crimes, particularly his claim that the abuse was consensual.
In addition to the 21-year prison sentence, James was issued a 25-year sexual harm prevention order and will be placed on the sex offenders register for life. He will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before being considered for release on licence. The court also highlighted the six counts of making indecent photographs of a child, which further underscored the extent of James’s predatory behavior.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) praised the bravery of the victims for coming forward and providing the evidence necessary to secure the conviction. Senior Crown Prosecutor Gemma Kneebone stated that James had manipulated and controlled his victims to fulfill his own sexual desires, falsely claiming that they were over 16 at the time of the offenses. This lie was quickly debunked during the trial, revealing James’s deliberate exploitation of their vulnerability.
The case has drawn significant attention, not only due to James’s status as a former Olympic athlete but also because of the broader issue of violence against women and girls.
