A high school track coach in Hingham, Massachusetts, was arrested last week after allegedly groping a student-athlete.
The parents of the victim, a girl on the Hingham High School track team, told the principal about the incident on Monday, Jan. 27, according to a police report from a school resource officer.
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The girl told police she was running in place, with her hands on a water refrigerator, as part of a drill. She said her coach, 82-year-old Andrew Wayne, grabbed and slapped her buttocks, pushing her against the fridge.
The school resource officer who wrote the report described school surveillance footage that appeared to corroborate the student's recollection of the events.
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A short time after the incident, the girl said Wayne grabbed her shoulder, first asking, "Is someone on the team picking on you?" and if she was OK before saying, "Sorry for picking on you, your form is really ad, and we will work on it." She told police this second encounter made her feel intimidated and uncomfortable.
Wayne was arrested Tuesday on charges of indecent assault and battery on a person age 14 or older and assault and battery.
According to the police report, Wayne viewed the surveillance video and said he did not recall touching the girl in the way she described.
"He did state that he had used his foot to adjust her foot during the drill," the school resource officer wrote in his report. "Mr. Wayne stated that he has been a coach for twenty years and that he has never been accused of this before, and he would never cause harm to the kids that he coaches. He did feel that there was something wrong with her that day. He did recall speaking to her after practice to ask if there was a health issue."
Paperwork from Hingham District Court shows Wayne pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. He was freed on personal recognizance, being ordered to have no contact with the victim and to stay away from Hingham High School and track meets.
Wayne is due back in court March 5, court documents show.
