A 75-year-old former swimming coach was convicted of abusing a boy in the 1990s while volunteering at a UK club.

Robert Spink, 75, a former swimming coach from Canvey Island, was convicted on March 5, 2026, of three counts of indecent assault against a boy during the 1990s while volunteering at Becontree Swimming Club. The unanimous jury verdict came after a four-day trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, with the abuse occurring in changing rooms where Spink held a position of trust. He is set to be sentenced in April. The victim’s mother expressed distress over the breach of trust, noting Spink had taught hundreds of children to swim. The case raises concerns about abuse in youth sports and accountability for historical offenses.