John Sillett, renowned Olympic Showjumping Coach, charged with rape and sexual assault of underage girl

Winchester Crown Court has heard that a former Olympic showjumping coach, John Sillett, sexually abused and raped a teenage girl over a period of seven years.

Sillett, 55, faces five charges of rape, five counts of assault by penetration and two sexual assaults report the Mirror. It is alleged that the assaults started when the girl was between 12 and 13 years old a prosecutor told the court.

Sillett, who lives in Farley Hill, Wokingham, trained riders for the 2016 Rio Olympics and was based at the Wellington Road Riding Centre on the Duke of Wellington’s estate in Hampshire prior to setting up Sillett Equestrian in 2016. He also describes himself as a former international showjumper.

Prosecutor, Kerry Maylin, has said that the attacks started with Sillett ‘groping’ the young girl, following this with raping and sexually assaulting her on several other occasions. Maylin stated that after the initial incident, the girl confronted Sillett who responded by telling her ‘I’m sorry, do not tell anyone’. Maylin said that girl held her silence and her life moved on.

The alleged victim, who has given evidence via video interview, said ‘I was so scared, I didn’t want to move, I didn’t know what to do’. She further stated  ‘He just started touching me, I was so confused at what was going on’. She questioned Sillett ‘why are you doing this to me, what have I done that you think you can do this to me?’ The jury was told that Sillett said to the alleged victim ‘you can touch me, you know as well’ but that she did not.

The prosecutor told of a further incident where Mr Sillett had told the girl ‘you know what you want, you know you want this’. The girl told him ‘No’ and asked ‘why are you doing this?’.

After the young woman went to police, Sillett was arrested. Jurors were told that when questioned Sillett gave a no comment interview.

Recorder, John Tait, told the jury ‘He (Sillett) said none of this happened at all and that is the issue in this case’. Sillett has denied all charges and the trial continues.

Feature image for illustration only and is in no way representing the news story.

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Jan Hughes

News Reporter, Everything Horse