BY Mirror.co.uk

Former British Olympic diving star Brian Phelps was yesterday facing jail after he admitted sexually abusing three schoolgirls.

Married Phelps, 63, won a bronze medal at 16 in the 1960 Rome Olympics and was Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 1962 and 1966.

But a court heard how he later abused three girls - aged six to 15 - while working as a gymnastics and trampoline instructor at a club he founded with wife Monica.

Phelps gave the girls one-to-one tuition at the club in Poole, Dorset.

He had full sex with one victim and committed sex acts with all three over a 10-year period from 1976 to 1986. The assaults finally came to light last year when one victim complained to police. Two other girls then came forward.

Grey-haired Phelps, showed no emotion when he appeared at Bournemouth crown court and admitted 25 charges of indecent assault and 17 indecency offences.

Prosecutor Julia Woodward said: "Phelps was in a position of trust and he abused that trust."

Phelps, who has been in custody since January, will be sentenced on May 15. He will also be put on the sex offenders register for life.

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