SHE was 13 and believed her tennis coach would take her to the top of the world rankings but he betrayed her.
Professional tennis coach Mark Fitzpatrick had the girl’s
future in his hands when he took advantage of her trust and innocence to
sexually abuse her.
Fitzpatrick, 33, pleaded guilty in the County Court yesterday
to maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16 for more
than two years.
Prosecutor Andrew Tinney, SC, said Fitzpatrick travelled to
Singapore with the girl in early December 2005 for a tennis tournament
and put pressure on her to have sex.
They had sex on their final night in Singapore. She was 13 and he was 27 and married.
Mr Tinney said on their return to Melbourne, Fitzpatrick started sending the girl text messages professing his love for her.
He sent her more than 19,000 text messages and she sent him more than 50,000 texts.
Fitzpatrick had developed a close relationship with the
girl's family and would go to their home for meals and travel with them
on holidays.
"From early on in 2006, the prisoner (Fitzpatrick) started to
take advantage of the many opportunities that arose for him to be alone
with the complainant to have sex with her," Mr Tinney said.
They had sex in public toilets at Melbourne Park, the MCG,
fast food outlets, sporting ovals, and at Fitzpatrick's home, his
parents' home, the girl’s home, her grandparents' home, and in his car.
The first time they had unprotected sex, Fitzpatrick gave the girl a morning after pill.
In July or August 2007 after they had had sex in the girl's bedroom and Fitzpatrick was leaving, her mother arrived home.
He drove off but she recognised him and later confronted him
but he claimed he had only been dropping something off at the house.
The girl denied any relationship with Fitzpatrick but her
mother checked her mobile phone and found text messages from him which
included:
"I want you to be my wife and have my kids. I want you to
share my life with me through the good times and the bad and I want you
to be by my side through everything. Most of all I just want you to
treat me like I am the most important thing to you in every circumstance
and act accordingly."
The girl's mother ordered her to never see Fitzpatrick again but the relationship continued until 2009.
When police interviewed Fitzpatrick in 2010 when he was
coaching tennis at Bayside Secondary College, he strongly denied having
ever been involved in a relationship with the girl and described the
allegations as "ridiculous" and "an absolute joke".
The girl told the court yesterday that Fitzpatrick had stolen her virginity and she had been haunted by his sexual desires.
She could have become a great tennis player but Fitzpatrick's
sexual obsession off the court had meant more to him than her career.
The girl said she now hated tennis with a passion.
"It reminds me of you and what you did to me," she told Fitzpatrick.
"Mark, you used me as your child sex toy.
"I will never forgive you for what you have done to me. You
may have had control of me as a little girl but as of today you will no
longer have that."
Defence barrister Peter Morrissey, SC, said Fitzpatrick had been immature, needy and demanding when he was with the girl.
Fitzpatrick, who has married for a second time and has a boy,
2, claimed he had fallen in love with the girl and was remorseful for
what he had done.
He was remanded in custody to be sentenced next week.
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