4 FOOTBALLER DEATHS LINKED TO PAEDO COACH
Wales legend Gary Speed & 3 others trained by pervert Bennell took their own lives
GARY Speed was one of four who took their lives having been coached by paedophile Barry Bennell, a court was told yesterday.
The former Wales football legend died in 2011, aged 42.
A man abused by Bennell told a jury: “It’s had an impact.”
A VICTIM of paedophile former football coach Barry Bennell has told a court his attacker had a sickening impact on young players.
The witness told a court how four fellow footballers previously coached by Bennell had later killed themselves, including Wales legend Gary Speed.
The man, who cannot be named, told how he had wanted to contact the star’s parents Roger and Carol Speed after reading they had not found “closure” because they had no explanation for their son’s death.
He told jurors yesterday: “Four people from teams I have played with, with Bennell, have taken their own lives.
“Whether they have taken their lives due to Barry solely I don’t know, but all I know is how it’s had an impact on me and how it could impact on other people.”
Father-of-two Gary was found hanged at his £2million home in 2011, aged 42.
The witness also spoke about contacting other alleged victims of Bennell, saying: “When people are breaking down on the phone, on the verge of suicide, when you hear of people who have taken their own lives…”
He told the court he knew of former youth players who had been left “destitute” and with alcohol problems.
Former Manchester City scout Bennell, 64, is on trial accused of 48
offences of child sexual abuse against 11 complainants between 1979 and 1990. He denies all the allegations.
Before the start of the trial at Liverpool crown court he admitted indecent assaults on three boys of 11 to 14 between 1981 and 1991.
Bennell had previously admitted abusing this witness in 1998, when he was jailed for nine years. The trial has heard claims that Bennell abused boys as young as eight who dreamed of being stars.
And yesterday another complainant in the case told the court he believed Manchester City’s chief scout Ken Barnes had known about the abuse.
The victim, against whom Bennell has admitted one count of indecent assault, said he played for one of the junior Manchester City teams and was abused by Bennell more than 100 times over a four-year period.
He said he thought Mr Barnes, who played for the club from 1950 to 1961 and died in 2010, and Mike Grimsley, who managed a Manchester City youth team, had known about the assaults carried out by Bennell.
He told the court: “I want an apology off Manchester City and anyone else, if possible.”
The jury has heard claims that Bennell attacked his victims at his home, in his car, at a Butlin’s holiday camp and the ground of Crewe Alexandra, where he was a coach.
Opening the case against him last week, prosecutor Nicholas Johnson QC told the jury that when one victim threatened to tell of his abuse, Bennell allegedly said: “Nobody would believe you. I’ve got people playing professional football now that I’ve done these things to. You’re nothing.”
Bennell, who has changed his name to Richard Jones, is appearing in court via video-link due to illness.
The trial continues.
Four people from teams with Bennell have taken their lives WITNESS AT TRIAL OF PAEDOPHILE BENNELL