More than 80 suspects in growing football scandal

THE scale of the football child sex abuse scandal was exposed yesterday as police said they had received more than 600 referrals identifying 83 suspects at 98 clubs.

Detectives have received a total of 639 referrals of child sexual abuse involving around 350 victims targeted across all tiers of football, from the Premier League to amateur.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council said officers had been deluged by calls from victims and witnesses through a helpline set up by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Officers investigating the allegations dating back to the 1970s have identified 83 potential suspects whose abuse ‘impacted’ on 98 clubs, including some from the Premier League.

At least 55 clubs have been placed under investigation in the three weeks since former Crewe Alexandra player Andy Woodward revealed he was sexually assaulted as a young footballer, prompting other extrainees to come forward.

Operation Hydrant, a national police coordination hub that was set up to examine historic child abuse allegations, has collated figures illustrating the scale of the scandal, with the age range for potential victims spanning from as young as seven to 20, with 98 per cent of the victims being male.

Yesterday Chief Constable Simon Bailey said: ‘We continue to urge anyone who may have been a victim of child sexual abuse to report it by dialling 101, or contacting the dedicated NSPCC helpline, regardless of how long ago the abuse may have taken place.

An NSPCC spokesman said: ‘These shocking numbers reveal the deeply disturbing extent of abuse that has been going on within football. Anyone who wants to contact us can continue to do so in confidence, with the knowledge they will be listened to and supported.’