Rape survivor abused by running coach meets tragic end in Sydney

A British rape survivor who inspired a BBC documentary about the ordeal has been found dead at her Sydney home in tragic circumstances.

Katie, who went to the same running club as Charlie Webster, has died. Pictures: Supplied

A British rape survivor who inspired a BBC documentary after helping convict her paedophile running coach has tragically died at her home in Sydney, Australia.

Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster confirmed her friend Katie – whose last name was not provided – had been found dead on Sunday.

The athlete’s family are “utterly distraught and just wants to get her back to lay her to rest”, Charlie said.

She said Katie’s heartbroken mum, Sue, was told by the police that her daughter’s body had been found after she had taken her own life.

“Katie was a daughter, a sister, an aunty, and a friend – with a cheeky sense of humour, a determined nature and a twinkle in her eye,” she said.

Charlie paid tribute to her “courageous and strong” friend in a post on Twitter.

“I’m so sad, hurt & pained to say Katie has sadly passed away,” she wrote.

“Katie is my friend, was part of my running group that I made my BBC documentary Nowhere to Run: Abused by Our Coach about. Katie died by suicide.”

British rape survivor Katie, who inspired a BBC documentary about the ordeal, was found dead at her home in Sydney, Australia on Sunday. Picture: GoFundMe

Presenter Charlie Webster paid tribute to her "courageous and strong" friend.

Charlie, 40, explained how she and Katie met at a running club in Sheffield when they were children – and soon became best friends.

But not all was as it seemed.

In 2021, Charlie made a powerful BBC documentary about how the club’s respected coach – Paul North – groomed her and subjected her to horrific sexual assault, The Sun reports.

She revealed Katie was also abused by North – and bravely came face-to-face with him in court to testify against him and put him behind bars.

“For Katie the pain was just too much, her mental health deteriorated and she devastatingly took her own life,” Charlie said on a GoFundMe page to bring Katie’s body home to the UK.

Charlie hailed her friend as “incredibly courageous, strong and so brave to stand up in court and testify against him”.

“Katie saved so many other children from being sexually abused by this abhorrent rapist,” she said.

“We know there were girls abused before us but Katie made sure there were none after us.”

💔 Katie
I’m so sad, hurt & pained to say Katie has sadly passed away.
Katie is my friend, was part of my running group that I made my BBC documentary Nowhere to Run: Abused by Our Coach about. Katie died by suicide. https://t.co/PohTyPJFMipic.twitter.com/1H3QiVOIo0

— Charlie Webster (@CharlieCW) January 12, 2023

Charlie said Katie had tried to start a new life in Australia – and had “fought every step of the way”.

“The thing about the trauma of sexual abuse, it doesn’t just go away,” she wrote.

“What happened to Katie made her feel worthless like she wasn’t enough, and it impacted her mental health, as is common for all survivors, me including.

“Her family was trying to get Katie to come home to the UK as of late.”

The Sun interviewed Charlie Webster in 2021 about the abuse she endured.

She said North arranged “private training sessions” before “massaging” her breasts and groin and penetrating her with his fingers.

Charlie Webster was abused by coach Paul North. Picture: BBC

It was only when he was jailed for 10 years, when Charlie was 19, that she realised she was not his only victim.

In the course of the documentary, she discovered her closest friends at the club were also abused – with one being raped multiple times.

Charlie kept silent about the abuse for 20 years and says she was too ashamed to speak out, blaming herself.

But after campaigning for abuse victims with the charity Women’s Aid, and encouraging victims to speak about their experiences, she decided to reveal her own trauma to help others.

North was convicted of his crimes in 2002, after a 15-year-old victim who he stripped and assaulted told her father, who reported him to the police.

He was jailed for 10 years, and has since been released.

This story originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced here with permission.

Originally published as Rape survivor abused by running coach meets tragic end in Sydney