A former Taekwondo world champion and coach who “groomed” his young victims has been jailed for a string of child sex offences.
Glen Edwards, 32, of Acrefair, Wrexham, was found guilty of 12 charges at Mold Crown Court on Monday.
The 32-year-old denied 14 counts including sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child and causing a child to watch sexual acts, but pleaded guilty to two charges.
Judge Niclas Parry said Edwards had shown “no remorse whatsoever” and jailed him for six years and 10 months.
The evidence was “quite overwhelming”, Judge Parry said during sentencing, telling Edwards his victims were “in awe of your remarkable achievements at sport”.
“Rather bizarrely you claim only to have been targeted for prosecution because of your gender,” the judge added.
Edwards, who took top spot in the flyweight category of the taekwondo International World Championships in 2018, appeared in court via video link from HMP Berwyn.
He was placed on the sex offenders register for life and the judge said he was “now professionally ruined”.
Prosecuting barrister Simon Rogers said Edwards “groomed” youngsters, adding: “No doubt the defendant was charming, no doubt he was charismatic, but sadly the truth was he had a sexual interest in them.”
Edwards accepted he had a sexual conversation with an underage boy but claimed it had been a “joke” and during his trial he accused his victims of lying.
The victims said they were sent pictures of Edwards and one was sent a video of him in the shower.
Edwards claimed he was not communicating sexually with the victims but did plead guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and possessing indecent images of children.
