Former county coach suspended for sexual misconduct

An unnamed former county cricket coach has been suspended for nine months after admitting charges of sexual misconduct.

The independent Cricket Discipline Panel found the man had sent sexually explicit pictures to two female junior members of staff in the summers of 2023 and 2024.

He admitted five breaches of professional conduct regulations, including sending unsolicited sexual images to two colleagues.

The panel’s report said the second woman “was much younger than the respondent and he occupied a far more senior position than she did” at the cricket club.

He was sacked as a result of his behaviour and has not been employed in the sport since.

In submissions to the panel, it was noted the coach had “apologised for his misconduct and expressed genuine remorse”.

It said he had voluntarily taken an education course and “worked with a former professional sportswoman to understand the impact of unsolicited explicit messages”.

“He hoped that now he was emerging as a better person”, the report states.

“He had a greater understanding of workplace boundaries, the misuse of social media and what amounted to sexual harassment”.

The ban is backdated six months to the charges being served, plus three months suspended and a mandatory education course to be completed.

Chris Haward, managing director of the cricket regulator, said: “This kind of conduct is unacceptable.

” Where such instances are identified they will be investigated and those responsible will be held to account. Removing sexual misconduct from the game is a priority for the cricket regulator.