Ted Hankey: Former darts champion jailed for sexual assault

Former world darts champion Ted Hankey has been jailed for two years for a sexual assault caught on camera.

Hankey, 54, from Berry Hill, Stoke-on-Trent, pinned down the young woman and, with an "air of entitlement", sexually assaulted her, Chester Crown Court heard.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to the attack on 10 September in Crewe.

The darts player, nicknamed The Count, was the BDO world champion in 2000 and 2009.

The court was previously told the victim was aged between 16 and 18.

Hankey, a father-of-three, who had shown "more self-pity than remorse", dabbed away tears with a tissue as he was sentenced.

Judge Steven Everett, Recorder of Chester, said Hankey would have "denied it to the bitter end" if the attack had not been caught on film.

The footage was played to the judge after the courtroom had been cleared of public and press.

Hankey's wife is now divorcing him and his children do not want any contact either, the court was told.

He had "flatly denied" any wrongdoing and "expressed amazement" at the allegation when he was first arrested.

But he stopped talking and refused to answer any more questions when detectives told him the attack had been caught on camera, the court heard.

The judge said: "The nature of what you did, the fact that you pinned her down, that air of entitlement... You treated her as an object for your own disgusting and deviant sexual desires.

"Your self-pity about the loss of status and ability to earn money - I'm sure you will never play darts again on television."

In a victim impact statement read out, Hankey's victim said she now suffered continuing distress, panic attacks and heart palpitations.

She added: "As a result of this crime I believe I have developed PTSD.

"This crime has had a major impact on my mental health. I'm very distrusting of males. I find it very difficult to have any physical contact with others."

Mark Connor, for the defendant, asked for a suspended jail sentence, saying the assault was "opportunist", that Hankey had admitted the offence and wanted to apologise for his behaviour.

As well as being given two years in prison, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.

District Crown Prosecutor Brian Forshaw, a specialist Crown Prosecution Service lawyer for a rape and serious sexual offences unit, said: "The CPS would like to thank the victim for her help and courage in bringing this prosecution, and we have worked to support her.

"Mr Hankey is now a convicted sex offender and this case may have prevented further offending."

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