NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Elite sports trainer Andrew Maclennan had sexual relationship with teenage athlete

Ethan Griffiths
By Ethan Griffiths
Executive Producer - Wellington Mornings·NZ Herald·
9 Jun, 2023 03:17 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Andrew Maclennan was found to have had a sexual relationship with a teenage athlete. Photo / NZME

Andrew Maclennan was found to have had a sexual relationship with a teenage athlete. Photo / NZME

An elite sports trainer who taught at multiple high schools had a sexual relationship with a teenager he coached.

Andrew Maclennan was today named in a Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal decision as having a relationship with a teenage athlete, who later became pregnant.

According to Maclennan’s CV posted to his website, he has worked for both the Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams as well as the NZ women’s hockey team. He was a teacher from 1991 to 2005, but left teaching and began working as a sports coach in 2005.

The decision details how Maclennan met the 15-year-old student at an athletics camp. The then 39-year-old began coaching her over the following three months and also tutored her in maths.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The teenager’s parents later heard rumours he had allegedly engaged in relationships with young girls. Another coach raised these concerns with him.

Maclennan stopped coaching the teen at the request of the parents, but they secretly remained in touch during 2007. He told the girl she would not be able to make it in athletics without his help.

The same year they started meeting again and Maclennan coached her. The parents caught wind of this and told him to cease all contact with their daughter. He again agreed.

But by 2008, on the student’s 17th birthday, Maclennan kissed her and gave her a necklace. Later in the year they had sex, eventually seeing each other four to five times a week mainly during the night.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

On occasion, Maclennan would pick the girl up from school, parking further down the road and telling the student to sit in the back seat to avoid being seen.

Also on occasion, the decision says Maclennan told the girl that their relationship was “ruining her chances of living a life that a teenager should live”. The teen said she would rather spend time with Maclennan.

The teen began feeling depressed and began self-harming. Maclennan told her not to tell her counsellor anything that could get him in trouble. He threatened to commit suicide.

The decision says the girl’s parents repeatedly attempted to stop the contact. They complained to Athletics New Zealand, and Maclennan met with two senior members of the organisation. He denied having sex with the teen.

In 2009, shortly before her 18th birthday, the teen discovered she was pregnant to her former coach. The pregnancy was terminated.

It wasn’t until 2013 the relationship ended, but communication continued until at least 2015.

The tribunal’s decision notes there was no intimate or personal communication before the student turned 16.

Giving evidence to the tribunal, Maclennan said he regretted the relationship with the teen, but also labelled her an anxious and demanding person.

“She sent me hundreds of text messages most days and was very difficult to shake off.”

He said she repeatedly talked about sex and asked for it. “I declined on numerous occasions.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The tribunal said it found Maclennan’s conduct “abhorrent”.

“The fact that he has attempted to apportion blame for the relationship on [the teen] confirms his lack of self-awareness, ability to reflect on his conduct and take responsibility for his actions.”

But with Maclennan being a coach, not a “teacher for the purposes of the relevant part of the act” at the time of the relationship, the tribunal ruled it while it had no jurisdiction to pass down a penalty.

The Complaints Assessment Committee, which laid the charge before the tribunal, appealed the outcome in the District Court in November last year.

Judge Chris Tuohy ruled Maclennan had committed misconduct over a period in 2007, as well as serious misconduct in the latter months of 2008 when he was still a registered teacher.

“The maintenance of a full-scale secret sexual relationship with a much older man against the very firm wishes of her parents while she was only 17 years old, living at home and still at school was bound to result in adverse effects on [the student],” Judge Tuohy wrote in his judgment.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Maclennan was censured - the only penalty available given he is no longer a registered teacher.




Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Kea Kids News: It’s a town filled with wild horses!

New Zealand|crime

'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys

15 Jun 08:00 AM
Crime

Coconuts and meth: The story behind NZ's largest pseudoephedrine prosecution

15 Jun 06:00 AM

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Kea Kids News: It’s a town filled with wild horses!

Kea Kids News: It’s a town filled with wild horses!

Reporter Martha and friends are in Minginui introducing us to their favourite four-legged neighbours, wild but friendly horses that have had free reign of the place since 1870.

'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys

'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys

15 Jun 08:00 AM
Coconuts and meth: The story behind NZ's largest pseudoephedrine prosecution

Coconuts and meth: The story behind NZ's largest pseudoephedrine prosecution

15 Jun 06:00 AM
Police seek witnesses to Rotorua hit-and-run

Police seek witnesses to Rotorua hit-and-run

15 Jun 04:24 AM
How one volunteer makes people feel seen
sponsored

How one volunteer makes people feel seen

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP