Youth football coach ‘abused boy more than 100 times’

‘Predatory and determined paedophile’ Barry Bennell had unfettered access to young victims, court hears

A FORMER youth football coach and talent scout was a “predatory and determined” paedophile whose job gave him unfettered access to young boys he could abuse, a court has heard. The prosecution alleges that Barry Bennell, 63, abused one alleged victim more than 100 times and spent decades assaulting boys in changing rooms, in his car and during sleepovers at his home.

The former Crewe Alexandra coach appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video-link yesterday, accused of 48 counts of child sexual abuse.

The jury heard some of the abuse took place at the club’s ground, or when it was on tour, while many of the incidents also took place at his home addresses. Bennell is charged with offences including indecent assault, buggery and attempted buggery on 11 boys aged between eight and 14.

Nicholas Johnson QC, prosecuting, told the court Bennell worked as a youth football coach in Cheshire, Manchester and Derbyshire in the late Seventies and into the Nineties.

Mr Johnson said: “As such, he had pretty much unfettered access to large numbers of young lads who dreamt of a life in professional football. “Although it seems that Bennell was a skilled and relatively successful coach, we allege that he had a much darker side. He was also, we say, a predatory and determined paedophile: his particular predilection was pre-pubescent boys”.

Mr Johnson said some of the abuse took place at the Crewe ground and when the football club was on tour, while many of the incidents also took place at his home addresses.

At the start of a trial expected to last up to eight weeks, the jury was told Bennell would be appearing via videolink because illness means he needs to be fed through a tube. He pleaded guilty to seven child sex offences ahead of his trial. Summarising the complaints, Mr Johnson told the jury one alleged victim had been abused by Bennell on more than 100 occasions after meeting him when he was a scout for Manchester City.

The alleged victim and other boys would stay at Bennell’s house, which he said at first seemed an “attractive proposition” for the youngsters.

He said: “Not only was there the promise of high quality football, but they were given lots of sports kit and allowed to eat takeaway food.”

Bennell equipped his home with arcade machines, a pool table and televisions to entice boys to stay the night.

The complainant alleged Bennell would turn the lights off once the boys were in bed and would play music to mask the sound of the abuse

Bennell told police he had been attracted to 13-year-old boys because they were “pedigree footballers who were athletic and good looking”. The trial continues.