Leon Baptiste serving 10-month Morocco prison sentence after conviction

Leon Baptiste is serving a 10-month prison sentence in Morocco after being convicted of sexually assaulting a minor, despite being reported missing in Britain over the weekend. The former Commonwealth 200m champion and British sprints coach was arrested in Marrakech in May.

Baptiste, 41, is being held at a prison in Marrakech, with Moroccan authorities confirming that he was convicted and remains in custody. In Morocco, a minor is defined as a person under the age of 18.

Concerns about his whereabouts emerged after Baptiste stopped communicating with UK Athletics and the athletes he coached for more than three months. His disappearance had initially been treated as a welfare concern before his detention and conviction became known.

In May, Baptiste sent a short message to his athletes saying he would be away from training for a period. He did not provide an explanation for his absence, which disrupted preparations for Charlie Dobson, Zac Shaw and other athletes targeting the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

Adam Gemili and Martyn Rooney subsequently helped support the affected athletes during Baptiste’s absence. The former champion’s work as a coach had included responsibility for athletes preparing for those major competitions.

The UK Foreign Office has confirmed that it is assisting a British national detained in Morocco. Baptiste’s case brings an end to the uncertainty over why he had lost contact with his athletes and UK Athletics, with his whereabouts now established at the Marrakech prison.