Former coach branded the ‘devil incarnate’ with 31-year prison sentence

0 Former Manchester City scout Barry Bennell Serial paedophile Barry Bennell has been branded “the devil incarnate” by a judge who jailed him for 31 years for abusing 12 young footballers he coached.

The former Crewe Alexandra coach and Manchester City scout was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday of 50 child sexual offences committed between 1979 and 1991. Bennell, 64, may have more than 100 victims in total as an additional 86 complainants have come forward to say they were also abused by him.

Judge Clement Goldstone QC said: “Your behaviour towards these boys in grooming and seducing them before subjecting them to, in some cases, the most serious, degrading and humiliating abuse was sheer evil.”

Judge Goldstone said that Bennell had appeared to his victims as a god, but added: “In reality, you were the devil incarnate. You stole their childhoods and their innocence to satisfy your own perversion.”

Bennell looked at the floor and nodded as the judge sentenced him. Some members of the public started to applaud as Bennell was sentenced, but were stopped by the judge.

Judge Goldstone said Bennell’s abuse had destroyed the enthusiasm his victims had for playing football and had led to them suffering problems, including suicidal thoughts, alcoholism and depression.

Bennell has already served three jail terms, totalling 15 years, for similar offences involving 16 other victims.

Hibernian manager Neil Lennon played alongside two of Bennell’s victims, Andy Woodward and Steve Walters, while at Crewe Alexandra.

“I feel sorry and I feel angry that my team-mates and my friends went through that,” Lennon told BBC Scotland.

“I also feel sad that they couldn’t confide in anyone, that this guy had such a magnetic hold over them that Andy couldn’t even tell his parents.

“We had no idea. I was best man at Andy’s first wedding, we were friends, we used to travel from Manchester to Crewe in the car every day and I had no inkling whatsoever.

“I almost feel that I’ve let them down.”