'Slobbering' England Boxing coach from Portsmouth found guilty of sexual assault

Award-winning Mick Driscoll, of Boston Road, Cosham, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault by a unanimous verdict at Lewes Crown Court in Brighton on Monday.

The 56-year-old was found not guilty of a third charge of sexual assault in 2019 by a majority of the jury. Driscoll, who had denied all the accusations, will be sentenced in November.

The court heard how the former Olympic hopeful had forced his way into the woman's Brighton hotel room before pinning her to the wall and trying to kiss her in 2019 as she tried to fight him off.

After the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, broke away Driscoll then "stripped to his underpants" and threw her onto the bed before "ripping at her nightie, trying to pull it up". The woman said he “jumped up and grabbed me” and was “slobbering all over me”.

The jury cleared Driscoll of pushing his way into the woman's room, pinning her to the wall and trying to kiss her, but found him guilty of subsequently assaulting her. He was also found guilty of groping the same woman later in 2019.

Prosecutor Oliver Dunkin said: "As she walked past the defendant, he groped her around the backside and crotch area."

Driscoll, who worked as England Boxing’s lead performance coach, was the first to receive the European Boxing Confederation’s coach of the year in 2018. Driscoll has helped young English boxers win 34 major championship medals – with boxers winning three golds and a bronze between them at the Youth Olympic Games.

He told The News at the time: “It's an honour. I'm very proud and humbled, but it's just as much recognition for the boxers, clubs and coaches at all levels as it is for me, and shows how far we have come.”

Driscoll had impressive success during his career in the ring, winning two National Elite Championships in representing City of Portsmouth Boxing Club. He competed for England and narrowly missed out on a place at the 1988 Olympics in the light-welterweight category.

Driscoll has not worked for England Boxing since 2022 and had a boxing event in Southsea cancelled in December 2023 when the charges became public.