Ex-world darts champion Ted Hankey jailed after sexual assault was caught on camera

Former world darts champion Ted Hankey has been jailed for two years after he was caught on camera sexually assaulting a young woman.

The 54-year-old, who had shown “more self-pity than remorse”, dabbed away tears with a tissue as he was sentenced at Chester Crown Court.

Judge Steven Everett, Recorder of Chester, said Hankey had shown an “arrogant entitlement” when he attacked his victim in Crewe on September 10 last year.

The two-time darts world champion had “flatly denied” any wrongdoing and “expressed amazement” at the allegation when he was first arrested.

PABest Former world darts champion Ted Hankey arriving at Chester Crown Court to be sentenced for sexual assaul

But he stopped talking and refused to answer any more questions when detectives told him the attack had been caught on camera, the court heard.

Footage of the attack was played to the judge after the court had been cleared of the press and members of the public.

The young woman, still traumatised by the attack, cannot be named for legal reasons.

Hankey, from Stoke-on-Trent, a father of three, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to a single count of sexual assault.

As well as being given two years in prison, he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

Passing sentence, Judge Everett told him: “You genuinely believed nobody would believe her, until you were shown the damning evidence.

“You treated her as an object for your own disgusting and deviant sexual desires.

“Your self-pity about the loss of status and ability to earn money – I’m sure you will never play darts again on television.”

Hankey, whose darts nickname is The Count, was the BDO world champion in 2000 and 2009.