Ex-English National Ballet star jailed for sex assaults

A London court on Wednesday sentenced a former English National Ballet star to nine years in jail for a series of sexual assaults on teenage dance students.

Yat-Sen Chang, an ethnically Chinese Cuban national, served as a principal dancer in the London-based troupe from 1993 to 2011.

In May a jury convicted him of 12 counts of sexual assault and one of assault by penetration when he worked at a dance school in London and gave private ballet lessons.

He was acquitted on one count of penetration.

Chang, 50, abused four students aged 16 to 19 while giving them massages.

Judge Edward Connell told Chang: “Over a period of years you used your fame and prestige in the ballet world to abuse young women who were your students”.

In a victim statement, one said she had seen Chang as kind for helping her improve her dancing, but later became disgusted by what he had done to her.

“I still feel haunted, violated, shamed and humiliated,” she said.

The Metropolitan Police in a statement after the sentencing said the victims “showed extreme bravery and courage in reporting” the crimes.

Prosecutor Joel Smith said Chang had “trusted that his fame and his position would protect him from complaint” by his victims.

Chang denied touching the teenagers inappropriately and said that he had “no idea” why they accused him of assault. He nevertheless accepted his conviction by a jury, his lawyer Kathryn Hirst said.