Athlete jailed for child sex offences

27-year-old knew girl was 12 but said: 'I just don't see it as wrong'

A well-known Newbury athlete has been jailed for a series of child sex offences.

A jury took just over 90 minutes to unanimously convict David Fry of inciting a girl aged 12 to engage in sexual activity and of inciting her to send him a pornographic photograph of herself.

The 27-year-old, of Green Lane, Newbury, had already admitted grooming another underage girl and performing a sex act on her – but told detectives he didn’t think he had done anything wrong.

Judge Paul Dugdale said he had no doubt Fry – a former member of Newbury Athletic Club and past winner of the Newbury Bayer 10k race – was sexually aroused by the young age of his victims.

Fry, who told jurors at Reading Crown Court that he coached around 30 children aged 12 and upwards, conducted his own defence during the five-day hearing after dismissing two firms of solicitors provided to represent him.

He portrayed himself as the innocent victim of a bizarre police conspiracy – a claim rejected by the jury.

In interview, Fry made admissions but at one point told detectives: “I just don’t see it as wrong.”

He was expelled from the athletics club soon after his arrest.

For the full report of the trial and the judge’s words of condemnation, pick up a copy of this week’s Newbury Weekly News.