A school swimming teacher carried out a long-standing “campaign of sexual abuse” on five young girls he taught, leaving them with deep-rooted psychological trauma. Over a 16-year period, Robert John Rixon sexually abused his victims who were as young as 11.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Rixon abused the girls at a swimming and lifeguarding club he ran at a school. The 74-year-old of Bredenbury Gardens in Nottage, Porthcawl, was sentenced on Friday, November 11. Detailing the abuse, prosecutor Mr John Ryan told the court how the defendant exploited his status to indecently assault the girls.

The court heard moving and powerful victim impact statements – some of which saw Rixon come face-to-face with his victims as their harrowing accounts were read into the record. They said the abuse had left them with trauma that wrecked their youth and overshadowed their adult life.

Some said they had been pushed to the brink of suicide, others said they resorted to using drugs to block out flashbacks from the abuse. Other details included his victims feeling unsafe around men, having trust issues, struggling with relationships as well as suffering from depression, PTSD, anxiety and panic attacks.

An investigation was launched in 2018 after one of the women came forward and reported that she had been abused by him as a girl. This then led to police identifying four other victims.

Opening the sentencing hearing on Friday, prosecuting counsel John Ryan said the abuse began in the early noughties while Rixon worked as a swimming instructor.

“Mr Rixon’s offending can be described as a campaign of sexual abuse,” said Mr Ryan. He said that there were were 74 instances of sexual abuse: 13 instances of sexual assault over clothes and five under clothes, 53 instances of digital penetration, one rape, and two instances of getting victims to touch his penis over clothing.

Mr Ryan told the judge. He described the assaults, which took place in the swimming pool and changing rooms while the victims were just in their swimming costumes.

Rixon was charged with 29 counts of sexual assault. Pleading not guilty, he later underwent a 12-day trial from October 3 until October 14 – forcing his victims to relive their ordeal in court. The trial also saw them face questions from Rixon’s legal team during cross-examination and some said they felt like they were made out to be liars.

He was found guilty of all counts except one, which was deemed not guilty by Judge Catherine Richards’ direction. On all except one of these counts Rixon had been unanimously convicted by the jury. Ahead of sentencing, Rixon was made to listen to listen to statements made by each of his victims.

Speaking to the defendant before sentencing him, judge Catherine Richards said: “You were abusing your position of trust. You were calculated and manipulative – these are all the hallmarks of a predatory sexual offender.” Speaking about the abuse one of the victims faced when she was just 11 or 12, the judge said: “The impact of your abuse at that age has had long lasting effects on her.”

Rixon was given a 25-year prison sentence, and must spend two thirds of it in custody. He also received a special custodial sentence of 10 years concurrent to the 25-year sentence, comprising nine years in prison and one year extended licence. He will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.