Colchester gym teacher's sexual assaults left victims suffering nightmares

David Schadek, 62, taught at Sudbury Gymnastics Club and later went on to take classes at Dave’s Gymnastics Academy, in Colchester, which he founded.

Schadek, of Fenno Close, Colchester, was renowned for being one of the top coaches in the area and had a role as a national gymnastics judge.

But following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, he was convicted of a string of sex offences against two girls, carried out between 2005 and 2017.

He was convicted of five counts of sexual assault and one count of perverting the course of justice.

A jury cleared Schadek of two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of sexual assault of a child.

The trial heard after a Christmas party in December 2017, a witness noted he was concerned about Schadek’s “inappropriate” behaviour.

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A police investigation was launched and Schadek was arrested at his home in March 2018.

On phones seized from Schadek’s home, police found messages from the defendant to a victim’s mother, asking her to persuade her daughter not to talk to the police.

During a sentencing hearing at the same court yesterday, one victim said her family had been “left fractured by something which was never their fault”.

“Finding the courage to speak to the police was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she said.

“The confusion and upset my family felt was huge.

“I’ve waited almost four years for the process to finish, the wait for the investigation to complete and then for the trial has been unbearable.”

She added: “I suffer with regular flashbacks and nightmares, I don’t sleep well, I have panic attacks.”

Schadek’s second victim said she used to feel happy, but now “doesn’t feel anything at all”.

She said: “I am numb. I keep being angry with people and lashing out at them when I don’t mean to.

“I don’t know how to gain control of my emotions.”

She added: “I still have flashbacks about what he did and it makes me cry.”

David Schadek

Sentencing Schadek to four and a half years imprisonment, Judge Timothy Walker said the sex offender had “lost all which he had spent his life building”.

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He said: “You were a highly thought of and highly qualified gymnastics coach, I heard character evidence from a number of former gymnasts and colleagues, you were held in the highest esteem.

“You have previously been investigated by British Gymnastics for your behaviour, that should have been sufficient warning to you to cease your behaviour at least in relation to the more recent matters.

“You used that trust and good reputation to enable yourself to sexually abuse two young girls.”

He added: “You sought to prevent any investigation into your sexual offending against the girls.

“Had you been successful, it’s unlikely you would have been brought to justice.”