World
Former Wimbledon Player Convicted of Child Molestation
By Dylan Vox

Oct 25, 2007

Claire Lyte

Pedophilia among females is not as commonly publicized or reported as that among males, but this week a UK trial court found former Wimbledon player Claire Lyte guilty of four counts of inappropriate and illegal conduct with a minor. Earlier this year, Lyte, who now coaches girl’s tennis for the Lawn Tennis Association was reportedly found in bed naked with one of her 13 year old students.  

The 29-year-old Lyte was at one time ranked in the top 100 players on the tour. After a few stints at Wimbledon, she was forced to retire as a competitor because of a nagging injury.  

She turned her attention toward coaching and was soon appointed to the Lawn Tennis Association's Loughborough Academy for aspiring tennis stars, and was named young coach of the year in 2001.  

Allegedly, in 2005, she began an affair with one of her young students that was llater discovered by the girl’s mother, who walked in on the two in bed together.  

The mother did not report the incident at the time, but the LTA seemed to be aware of the situation and had previously warned Lyte about any continued relations with the girl after an incident in which the two had shared a toilet cubicle.  

A year later, the mother filed charges with the police who searched her apartment and found damning evidence that was eventually presented in trial.  

Police found a pair of the girl’s underwear with both women’s DNA and a “love contract” written by the girl that said:  

“I will always be your babyface. Be a good baby, not a bad one. Try hard when I'm on court. Be with you forever. Never let you go. Do chores in our little house when we get one. Look after you and love you for ever and just be with you."  

Lyte denied the allegations, claiming that she is a heterosexual and had no interest in the girl. She also claimed that the charges were only filed as a retaliatory measure because she had told the mother that her daughter did not have a promising future in the sport.  

The jury was not convinced by her explanation of the events, and in a 10-2 decision found her guilty on all four counts of abuse of a minor.  

Lyte will be sentenced in early November.