Story By: Amelia Guran, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

This Russian national martial arts coach is under house arrests after being accused of repeatedly raping one of his 14-year-old male athletes for nearly two years.

The coach of Russia’s national martial arts youth team Viktor Pestov has been arrested for allegedly repeatedly raping and sexually harassing one of his 14-year-old athletes from July 2017 to March 2019.

Law enforcement officers reportedly searched the coach’s flat and allegedly seized a laptop, a smartphone, two flash drives, and a sex toy. They also reportedly seized child porn footage allegedly featuring the coach’s students. It is currently unknown how many.

The youngster, who has not been named, reportedly told the authorities that Pestov had periodically raped him as well as threatened him.

Pestov has been a martial arts coach in Russia for 27 years and is an honorary member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He is from the town of Svetogorsk in the Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast in Russia.

Local media report Pestov is suspected of having sexually abused other youngsters under his watch but they are yet to file official complaints.

The father of one of the suspected victims told reporters: “My son often began to go to the coach just like that, outside training. He said that he was preparing for a competition. He began to wash before leaving home. When he returned, he smelled of cologne. And when a professional psychologist talked to him, I was extremely surprised.”

Local media report anonymous messages on social networks have now begun to appear claiming the coach had abused them as far back as 15 years ago.

The investigation is ongoing and Pestov remains under house arrest.

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