Ex-footie coach ‘groped boy as he took him to matches’

A FORMER youth footballer yesterday accused ex-coach Barry Bennell of abusing him as they travelled to and from training at Manchester City.

The alleged victim got a lift from the Man City scout, now 64, as his parents “trusted Bennell”.

Liverpool crown court heard that the abuse began “straight away”, with a tickling game that ended with Bennell’s hands “inside your shirt or inside your underpants”. The man, who claimed things escalated and he was seriously sexually assaulted “about half a dozen times”, claimed Bennell watched horror movies in the dark with boys and often ended up in bed between two of them. He added: “You would always do what he said.”

Bennell, who is appearing in court via video-link due to illness, denies 48 counts of child sex abuse. The trial continues.

TRIAL Court sketch of Bennell