2006: CHORLEY KARATE INSTRUCTOR JAILED FOR SEX WITH GIRL, 15
2006: A martial arts instructor has been sentenced to two years in prison after secretly having sexual relations with one of his pupils, who was only 15 at the time.Ernest McKenzie Wishart, aged 45, was teaching karate in Bolton and Chorley when he developed a relationship with the minor girl.
He convinced her to perform sexual acts, claiming it was to help her learn from his martial arts expertise.
On Thursday, Wishart—residing on Berkeley Close, Chorley—was convicted in Bolton Crown Court of five counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and one count of inciting a child to take part in sexual acts.
He is also the chair of the NTK Martial Arts Association, which claims to have conducted background checks and holds child protection certificates, according to its official website.
The court heard that he had been training the girl for several years and was friendly with her family.
Though the girl admitted the relationship was consensual, it was revealed that Wishart exploited her lack of sexual experience and instructed her on how to perform sexual acts.
Their encounters started when she was 16 and became habitual, with sessions taking place in locations such as service station parking lots, wooded areas en route to karate competitions, and her own home where he had sex with her in her parents' kitchen while her brother was outside.
The relationship ended when Wishart’s involvement with another woman came to light, prompting her to tell her parents, who reported the incident to the police.
The police arrested Wishart last year on suspicion of engaging in sexual activity with a minor.
The girl’s parents expressed their gratitude to the police and prosecution for their support, and encouraged others in similar circumstances to feel safe in coming forward.
Wishart was also placed on the sex offenders register for ten years as part of his sentence.
