‘Industrial scale molester’ Barry Bennell guilty of 43 counts of child abuse

Serial paedophile Barry Bennell has been convicted of abusing more young footballers after grooming them with claims that he could fulfil their dreams of a career in the sport.

The 64-year-old, who has previously received three jail sentences for similar offences, was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of 43 counts of child sexual abuse against 11 victims.

It is understood the total number of victims assaulted by Bennell could exceed 100 after 86 more people came forward to report abuse following publicity about the case.

A cheer of “yes” came from the public gallery where six complainants sat with family members as the final verdicts were read out and some people were in tears.

Bennell, who appeared via videolink from prison, could be seen shaking his head at times and muttering when the final guilty verdicts were returned on Thursday.

During the course of his trial, he was described as a “child molester on an industrial scale” who would not just groom his victims, but also their families.

Victims who had been coached by Bennell as boys told how he had a “power hold” over them as they dreamed of becoming professional footballers.

He was said to have been treated like “God” at Manchester City’s Maine Road ground.

He abused the boys at his homes, where he had arcade games and exotic pets including a puma and a monkey, but also on trips away and in his car while on the way to and from training.

One victim, who he had admitted abusing in 1998, said he knew of four men who had been coached by Bennell, including former Wales manager Gary Speed, who had gone on to take their own lives.

The jury was told there was no evidence to link the deaths to Bennell.

Bennell, who had part of his tongue removed due to cancer, appeared in court via videolink for health reasons and declined to give evidence in his own defence.

But the judge warned him he would be in court to be sentenced at 12pm on Monday.

The court heard transcripts of police interviews in which he admitted having a “grooming process” and being attracted to teenage boys, although he denied the new allegations and said his accusers were “jumping on the bandwagon” following publicity.

His barrister, Eleanor Laws QC, described him as being a “sitting target” after being convicted of child sexual abuse in the 1990s and in 2015.

BARRY BENNELL: TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS

Here are the key events surrounding paedophile football coach Barry Bennell.

• Early 1970s: Starts his coaching career aged about 18 at renowned London-based junior club Senrab FC, Bennell told police.
• Mid to late 1970s: Coaches at Butlin’s holiday camp in Pwllheli, North Wales, and also begins working with Manchester youth team Whitehill FC, he also tells detectives.
• November 1979 to July 1981: Employed as a resident social worker at the now closed Taxal Edge children’s home in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire.
• 1982 to 1985: Coaches youth teams in Derbyshire which provided several youth recruits for Manchester City.
• 1985 to 1992: Bennell is employed by or on behalf of Crewe Alexandra apart from a spell coaching in Georgia, United States, in 1989 and 1990.
• 1990: Marries Linda Woodward, sister of one of his abuse victims, Andy Woodward. The couple go on to have two children.
• 1992 to 1994: Bennell is employed by or on behalf of Stoke City.
• 1994: He is arrested while on a 10-week tour of the United States when coaching a Staffordshire youth team.
• 1995: He is convicted in Florida of four counts of indecent assault on a young boy and sentenced to four years in jail. Spends time in custody prior to his conviction. His victim was also abused by Bennell in Britain, which leads to a domestic investigation.
• January 1997: Bennell is featured in the Channel 4 documentary series Dispatches. Former youth player Ian Ackley waives his anonymity and tells the Soccer’s Foul Play programme he was sexually abused by Bennell.
• September 1997: US authorities deport Bennell to the UK at the conclusion of his sentence and on his arrival he is charged with sexual offences relating to a number of complainants.
• June 1998: He pleads guilty at Chester Crown Court on the first day of his scheduled trial to 23 counts of sexual abuse relating to 15 complainants, aged from nine to 14, between 1978 and 1992. Victims include Mr Ackley and Mr Woodward.
• Twenty-two alleged offences are left to lie on file. He is sentenced to nine years in prison.
• May 2015: Bennell pleads guilty at the same court on the first day of his scheduled trial to sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy in 1980. He is jailed for two years. His victim did not come forward in 1997 because of the effect he said it would have on his mother. When she died in 2013 he contacted police. The court hears he was abused at Bennell’s living quarters at Taxal Edge while staying with him as he took part in coaching sessions in Macclesfield.
• November 2016: Mr Woodward waives his anonymity to give emotional, powerful interviews to the Guardian and BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme. It leads to a number of complainants against Bennell contacting police and a fresh investigation begins.
• January 2018: Bennell goes on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of 48 historical child sex offences against 11 complainants between 1979 and 1990.
• February 2018: Bennell is found guilty of 43 counts of child sexual abuse against 11 victims.

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