Leon Baptiste Serves 10-Month Morocco Sentence for Sexually Assaulting Minor

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 19

Moroccan authorities said Leon Baptiste, 41, was arrested in Marrakech in May, convicted of sexually assaulting a minor and is now serving a 10-month sentence in Al-Oudaya prison.
The case surfaced after weekend reports said the former Commonwealth gold medallist had gone missing in Morocco; officials said that was inaccurate because his whereabouts were known and he was in custody.
Baptiste had abruptly stopped coaching British sprinters more than three months ago, sending a brief May message that he would be away "for a while" before resigning Tuesday citing unspecified ill health.
His disappearance left athletes including Charlie Dobson and Zac Shaw without a designated coach before the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, disrupting training until Adam Gemili and Martyn Rooney stepped in.
The UK Foreign Office said it is supporting a detained British national in Morocco, while Baptiste's family are understood to be aware of his imprisonment.