Arlington karate coach sentenced to 2 1/2 years in indecent assault on girl

By Todd Feathers, Globe Correspondent

A Lexington man has pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a young girl at the Arlington karate school where he coached her, prosecutors said.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman on Tuesday sentenced 52-year-old Thomas Donahue to two-and-a-half years in jail followed by three years of probation, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan’s office.

Donahue’s sentence also bars him from contact with the victim, her family, or any children under the age of 16. He must also abide by the requirements of the state sex offender registry, and wear a GPS tracking device while on probation, Ryan’s office said.

“This defendant took advantage of his authority as a coach by sexually assaulting a young student, violating the trust placed in him by the victim and her family,” Ryan said in a statement. “We commend the victim for coming forward to disclose what happened to her and we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes committed by offenders that target vulnerable children.”

Donahue, who was indicted in October, coached the girl at T&P Martial Arts in 2011. After at least one of their sessions he asked her to come into his office and assist him in taking off a leg brace, Ryan’s office said.

When the girl agreed to help, Donahue sexually assaulted her. He then gave her candy and told her not to tell anyone, Ryan’s office said.