Charges against cycling coach dropped

Several charges including child rape against Australian cycling coach Rick Lee were dropped on Friday in Northampton County Prison, US state of Pennsylvania. Lee had been accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at her home, but the investigation revealed that the teenager had pretended to be 18 years old and consented to having sex with him.

Lee had met the girl on a dating website, where she posed as working as a nurse and attending university. State police recently found e-mails from the girl where she told Lee she was 18. "The fact of the matter is we'd have to prove he knew she was 15. She looks like a mature girl," District Attorney John Morganelli told the Express-Times. "We have no case."

Lee has been released from Northampton County Prison, Pennsylvania, Friday morning. He was there for four months, after the bail had been set to 125,000 dollars.

Lee coached the Australian Youth Olympic team in 2005 and was the assistant manager of the Australian Youth Olympic team in 2003. When he was arrested, he was in the USA to coach an Australian junior cycling team, including two members from Western Australia.