South London detectives led a meticulous investigation into the sexual abuse of two young girls, unknown to each other, by a Taekwondo coach who targeted the children in his own home and during group lessons.

Following a trial at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday 7 November, Diego Solarte, 44 (21/02/1980) of Studley Road, Stockwell, was jailed for nine years for his child sex crimes. The horrific nature of these crimes, which took place between 2018 and 2021, left a deep impact on the victims, their families and the wider community.

The court heard harrowing testimony which revealed the grooming, manipulation and betrayal experienced by these young men who sought sporting mentorship from someone in a position of trust. Their courage in coming forward was crucial to ensuring that justice was served.

Detective Constable Mel Jordan, from the Met’s child abuse team, who led the investigation, said:

“I want to recognize the bravery of the victim-survivors, whose courage has been steadfast throughout this trial, especially given their young age. Coming forward is not only a tribute to their strength, but serves as a sign to any other victims that they will be heard and supported.

“Solarte used his position and trust with the victims’ families to take advantage of young girls in both public classrooms and private settings where he should have been safest.

“We understand that this case will have shaken the local Taekwondo community. Protecting children is our top priority. If you or someone you know has been sexually groomed or abused, please come forward. You are not alone and there are officers ready to support you.”

The first surviving victim came forward while Solarte was employed by the family as a Taekwondo instructor. She reported serious sexual assault to the police in September 2021.

Shortly after Solarte was arrested and interviewed by specialist Met detectives, he said the children no longer wanted to do Taekwondo and had made up the charge to avoid having to do it.

A second surviving victim bravely came forward to police while the first investigation was still active.

She reported to her school counselor that Solarte touched her inappropriately.

Solarte was arrested a second time on May 30, 2022 and interviewed by police and said the victim made up the sexual assault allegation against him. In interviews with specially trained Met detectives, Solarte said he never touched the victim inappropriately and was not sexually interested in children.

The families of the surviving victims issued a joint statement:

“We are forever grateful to the officers who worked tirelessly to bring justice to our children. We encourage anyone who is in a similar situation of being a victim, supporting a victim or witnessing abuse to come forward to the police.

“At a truly dark time in our children’s lives, compassion, dedication and relentless pursuit of the truth gave us a way forward. The abuse our children experienced left a wound that will never fully heal, but knowing that justice has been served and that there are incredible officers protecting the safety of others brings us comfort.

“Detective Jordan not only sought justice, she created a platform for our children to have a voice and speak out against abuse. Our heartfelt thanks to each member of the team and lead investigator, Detective Mel Jordan, for their hard work and professionalism throughout this ordeal.”

Children and young people are the most vulnerable in society and the Met is committed to keeping them safe in person and online. As part of the New Met for London plan, our officers work closely with third sector partners including Children’s Society to help young people, parents and carers identify the signs of sexual abuse and predatory behavior online and offline.

If you have been the victim of sexual assault or rape, or have information about an offender, contact the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency – there are specially trained officers who will listen to you and investigate where necessary.