Former Britain’s Got Talent winner Neil Griffiths has been arrested on suspicion of child cruelty.
The 42-year old coach of gymnastics group Spellbound faces the charges after parents of three children claim he mistreated them over a five year period.
Image via Mirror UK/ITV
According to Metro UK, Griffiths has been questioned by police, while the UK’s Child Protection Service is now investigating the accusations involving children as young as nine years old.
The Heathrow Gymnastics coach, who is well known within British gymnastics, has a reputation for demanding and gruelling training demands, with one parent telling The Sunday People:
“Neil is very well known and well respected within the club and British Gymnastics. He is a very powerful and influential figure.
“He has achieved a great deal but his training programmes are extremely tough. He is a very demanding coach.”
Image via ITV
Spellbound, who wowed the Britain’s Got Talent judges in 2010, later went on to win the show with their gymnastics performances.
A police spokesperson said:
“Officers from Feltham Child Abuse Investigation Team continue to investigate allegations of child cruelty in relation to three alleged victims aged between nine and 15 years.
“The offences are alleged to have been committed between 2009 and 2014 and were reported to police in June 2014. On January 27 a man was arrested in connection with the investigation.”
Griffiths is currently on police bail.
H/T Metro UK
