December 2012 – Now been released

July 2011

GB volleyball player jailed for grooming schoolgirl over Facebook

A GREAT Britain volleyball player and coach has been jailed for grooming a schoolgirl over Facebook before sexually assaulting her.

Martin John Chapman, 45, sexually assaulted the teenager after grooming her with text and Facebook messages.

Chapman, coach for Hull’s first sitting volleyball squad, who represented Great Britain in the 2009 European Championships, has been jailed for three years.

The police believe he may have more victims.

Chapman was coach at the Hull City Tigers Sports And Education Trust, part of the Premier League 4 Sport project, and was coaching players at the Bonus Arena.

The former soldier, of Skeffling, near Withernsea, targeted the 15-year-old girl over a three-month period.

He befriended her on Facebook and began texting her and arranged to meet her in his car.

He was caught after the child’s mother discovered more than 1,300 text messages on her daughter’s phone to him.

Her daughter then confided to her teacher about Chapman and social services and the police were informed.

Chapman was arrested in December.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual activity with a child at Hull Crown Court.

Chapman, also a volunteer health and safety officer at Takeshi Karate Association in Withernsea, which runs classes for youngsters, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by Judge David Tremberg.

Detective Constable Helen Penny said: “He befriended her on Facebook and then began texting her and it went from there until she told someone at school.

“It had been going on for a period of more than three months

“By pleading guilty, he has saved his victim from coming to court and going through the ordeal of giving evidence.

“We believe there could be more victims and would urge anyone who has been affected to contact the police.”

Chapman has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

He has a prosthetic leg after losing a limb in an accident.

He became involved in volleyball and coached disabled sitting volleyball teams and was a referee.

As a player, he was named as a finalist for the Hull And East Yorkshire Sporting Heroes And Champions Awards in 2009.

Anyone who has been affected can call the police in confidence on             0845 6060222      .