Andrew Maclennan was discovered to have had a sexual relationship with a teenage athlete.
Photo: Supplied / NZME

An elite sports activities coach who taught at a number of excessive faculties had a sexual relationship with an adolescent he coached.

Andrew Maclennan was at the moment named in a Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal resolution as having a relationship with a teenage athlete, who later turned pregnant.

According to Maclennan’s CV posted to his web site, he has labored for each the Crusaders and Canterbury rugby groups in addition to the NZ ladies’s hockey group. He was a trainer from 1991 to 2005, however left educating and commenced working as a sports activities coach in 2005.

The resolution particulars how Maclennan met the 15-year-old pupil at an athletics camp. The then 39-year-old started teaching her over the next three months and likewise tutored her in maths.

The teenager’s mother and father later heard rumours he had allegedly engaged in relationships with younger ladies. Another coach raised these considerations with him.

Maclennan stopped teaching the teenager on the request of the mother and father, however they secretly remained in contact throughout 2007. He instructed the lady she wouldn’t have the ability to make it in athletics with out his assist.

The similar 12 months they began assembly once more and Maclennan coached her. The mother and father caught wind of this and instructed him to stop all contact with their daughter. He once more agreed.

But by 2008, on the coed’s seventeenth birthday, Maclennan kissed her and gave her a necklace.

Later within the 12 months that they had intercourse, ultimately seeing one another 4 to 5 occasions every week primarily throughout the night time.

On event, Maclennan would choose the lady up from college, parking additional down the highway and telling the coed to take a seat within the again seat to keep away from being seen.

Also from time to time, the choice says Maclennan instructed the lady that their relationship was “ruining her chances of living a life that a teenager should live”. The teen mentioned she would somewhat spend time with Maclennan.

The teen started feeling depressed and commenced self-harming. Maclennan instructed her to not inform her counsellor something that would get him in bother. He threatened to commit suicide.

The resolution says the lady’s mother and father repeatedly tried to cease the contact. They complained to Athletics New Zealand, and Maclennan met with two senior members of the organisation. He denied having intercourse with the teenager.

In 2009, shortly earlier than her 18th birthday, the teenager found she was pregnant to her former coach. The being pregnant was terminated.

It wasn’t till 2013 the connection ended, however communication continued till at the very least 2015.

The tribunal’s resolution notes there was no intimate or private communication earlier than the coed turned 16.

Giving proof to the tribunal, Maclennan mentioned he regretted the connection with the teenager, but additionally labelled her an anxious and demanding particular person.

“She sent me hundreds of text messages most days and was very difficult to shake off.”

He mentioned she repeatedly talked about intercourse and requested for it. “I declined on numerous occasions.”

The tribunal mentioned it discovered Maclennan’s conduct “abhorrent”.

“The fact that he has attempted to apportion blame for the relationship on [the teen] confirms his lack of self-awareness, ability to reflect on his conduct and take responsibility for his actions.”

But with Maclennan being a coach, not a “teacher for the purposes of the relevant part of the act” on the time of the connection, the tribunal dominated it whereas it had no jurisdiction to cross down a penalty.

The Complaints Assessment Committee, which laid the cost earlier than the tribunal, appealed the result within the District Court in November final 12 months.

Judge Chris Tuohy dominated Maclennan had dedicated misconduct over a interval in 2007, in addition to critical misconduct within the latter months of 2008 when he was nonetheless a registered trainer.

“The maintenance of a full-scale secret sexual relationship with a much older man against the very firm wishes of her parents while she was only 17 years old, living at home and still at school was bound to result in adverse effects on [the student],” Judge Tuohy wrote in his judgment.

Maclennan was censured – the one penalty obtainable given he’s not a registered trainer.

* This story initially appeared within the New Zealand Herald.