Depraved coach Bennell ‘did not abuse Gary Speed’

PAEDOPHILE football coach Barry Bennell “never behaved inappropriately” towards Gary Speed, the family of the former Newcastle United star has said.

The statement comes as predator Bennell is convicted of 43 counts of historic child sex offences.

Speed’s name was linked to the case when one victim, who Bennell had pleaded guilty to abusing in 1998, said he knew of four men who had been coached by him including Speed - who had gone on to take their own lives.

The victim said: “Four people from teams I have played with, with Bennell, have taken their own lives.” He added: “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.”

He said he wanted to get in touch with Speed’s parents after he read in the paper that they had not been able to get closure because they had no explanation for his death.

But the jury was later told there was no evidence to link theses deaths to Bennell.

Now, Speed’s family has spoken out to say the former Magpies and Wales midfielder knew nothing about the abuse and was not among Bennell’s victims.

A statement issued on behalf of Speed’s family by the League Managers Association last night said: “In light of recent speculation, we would like the following points to be made quite clear.

“1. Gary Speed was interviewed on two occasions by the police during their investigations into allegations made about Barry Bennell.

“2. On both occasions Gary made it quite clear that he did not know anything about Bennell’s alleged behaviour and also made it clear that Bennell had never behaved inappropriately towards him.

“3. The police have subsequently made clear that they were satisfied that there was no reason to link the Bennell investigation to Gary.

“4. The prosecution also made clear at the trial of Bennell that “there was no evidence called at any of the inquests suggesting that [his] death was linked to” Bennell.”

Bennell, 64, who holds previous convictions for similar offences, will be sentenced on Monday for abusing 12 boys following his latest convictions at Liverpool Crown Court for offences against youth footballers between 1979 and 1991.

Speed, who made more than 200 appearances in a six-year career on Tyneside, was found hanged at his Huntingdon home on November 27, 2011, at the age of just 42.

At his inquest, Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg ruled there was not enough evidence to say the then-Wales manager had intended to end his life. A narrative verdict was recorded.