Ex England badminton coach jailed for child rape and sex assaults

Judge blasts his "nonsense" defence

A former coach for England Badminton has been jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of sexual assault and raping a child. Brian Furneaux, 66, of Ipplepen, Newton Abbot, was convicted on two charges of rape and nine charges of sexual assault of a girl under the age of 16, after a trial at Exeter Crown Court.

The offences happened in multiple places in Devon during the 1990s, when the girl was aged 15 and at school, the court was told. He groomed her before sexually assaulting and raping her when she was 15.

The victim reported the incidents to police in 2021 and Furneaux was arrested. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted of all the offences. It was the second time he had faced trial for the charges, after a previous jury failed to reach a verdict.

Judge David Evans said: “Your suggestion to police and the jury that nothing sexual happened and that she decided, 30 years later, to uproot her life and her family lives with her schoolgirl fantasies is transparent nonsense. You hoped the past would remain uncovered but did not count on her bravery.”

The defendant was ordered to sign the Sexual Offenders’ Register for life and will be barred by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Detective Constable Tamsyn Dingley, who investigated the case, praised the victim for coming forward 30 years later and for putting herself through a police investigation and two trials. She said: “For three-and-a-half years, the victim has remained steadfast and incredibly strong in her decision to make her disclosure to us.

“She never wanted any of this, she simply wanted to provide information to enable us to safeguard other vulnerable girls. In her coming forward, I hope she now has closure with the guilty verdicts and the sentence passed by Judge Evans.”

Responding to the sentencing, the victim said: “I would like to thank all at Devon and Cornwall Police, especially DC Tamsyn Dingley and DC Deborah Ward, whose compassion and thorough investigation helped us to achieve justice.

“After a long time has elapsed, it is difficult to resurrect past trauma and it has been a long and difficult process, but I would urge others who have experienced similar, to come forward; you will be supported and heard.

“For me, my only motive in coming forward was to safeguard other young people and I feel we have achieved that with this outcome. I will be forever grateful to my husband, parents, family and friends who have supported me and shown me love throughout.”

Anyone who wants support can visit victimcare-dc.org. You can also call Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.

Advice and support can also be found at: National Rape Crisis Helpline 0808 802 9999 and Devon and Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) 0300 3034626.

For more information please visit: www.dc.police.uk/Rape-SexualAssault