Olympic coach Vicente Modahl appears in court accused of child sex offences

Jose Vicente Leiva-Modahl, a 65-year-old Olympic coach, appeared in Manchester Magistrates’ Court facing serious allegations of raping and sexually assaulting a child between 2012 and 2024. During the brief hearing, he did not enter a plea, and District Judge Richard Jepson decided that some charges were too severe for the magistrates’ court, moving the case to Manchester Crown Court. Modahl, who was arrested upon returning to the UK from Spain, has been granted conditional bail with strict requirements: he must reside in Warrington, be subject to a curfew, and is prohibited from contacting witnesses or minors unsupervised. He’s also barred from applying for travel documents and must surrender his Spanish passport. The court noted that he has been suspended by UK Athletics. The charges include multiple counts of child rape and sexual assault, as well as similar offences against an adult female. All charges reportedly relate to the same woman, but specific details of the allegations were not discussed in court. A plea and trial preparation hearing is set for November 18.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News