A RUGBY player and coach has been convicted of sexually touching two teenage girls at the college in the Cotswolds where he worked as a teacher.

Isiah Young, 34, who was a coach for Cirencester RFC and is currently the Gloucestershire Under-18s squad coach, denied touching either of the girls in any way.

But after a three day trial at Gloucester Crown Court, a jury today found him guilty of four of the five charges he faced of having sexual activity with the 17-year-old girls while in a position of trust as a teacher.

He was convicted of one charge involving one girl and three charges concerning the other.

But he was found not guilty of one other similar charge relating to the second girl in which he was said to have stroked her back.

Judge Euan Ambrose bailed him for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and said he would be sentenced on a day to be fixed.

He ordered Young to sign the sex offenders register from today and to co-operate with the probation service in the preparation of the report.

Young, of Reddings Park in Cheltenham, showed no emotion as he stood in the dock hearing the jury's verdict.

During the trial, the prosecution alleged he had hugged and stroked the two girls on dates in October and November 2013.

The college at which the offences occurred cannot be named by order of the judge.

Ian Dixey, prosecuting, had told the court at the start of the trial that on October 24 Young grabbed girl A and “wrapped his arms around her” before putting his hands underneath her upper clothing and stroking her back.

The girl was shocked by what he had done and “froze”, said Mr Dixey.

Young then went to kiss her but she moved her face away.

"He hugged her a little bit longer and then released her, at which point she left the room," the prosecutor said.

The girl was upset and told a friend what had happened, he said.

Later, she discussed it with her boyfriend and as a result sent Young a “very mature” email telling him that as a result of the way he had behaved she now felt slightly uncomfortable in his company.

She told Young: "I am not sure how you feel and what is going through your head but know the things you did overstepped the mark and as a student I don't think it is fair for you to put me in the position you have. "

She went on: "Please understand my position and I would appreciate it if you acted as a teacher and a friend and nothing more from this point onwards....Don't want things to be awkward."

Mr Dixey said Young never replied to that email.

The girl did not intend to report Young but later she heard that he had behaved in the same way on four occasions to another girl, Mr Dixey said.

On November 6 Mr Young squeezed girl B's bottom and the following day he put his hand on her back and rubbed it up and down, said Mr Dixey.

The day after that he pushed her against a wall and put his hands on her bottom and hugged her again, the court heard.

Finally, on November 12, Mr Young hugged and kissed girl B, the prosecutor said.

When girl A heard about what had happened to girl B she felt guilty that she had not reported Young because that might have prevented him committing further offences, said Mr Dixey.

The two girls “agonised” together over what to do then spoke to a male pupil whose mother was on the college staff.

As a result of that they reported Mr Young and police were called.

Young told the police he “absolutely denied” that anything untoward had happened between him and the girls.

In evidence Young said he had never touched either of the girls in any way and always maintained a professional attitude towards pupils.