City accused of relying on predator Bennell in lawsuit

MANCHESTER CITY have been accused of using ‘information from one of Britain’s most notorious paedophiles’ to defend themselves. Eight former youth footballers have launched a lawsuit at the High Court, claiming the abuse they received by prolific, convicted child abuser and ex-coach Barry Bennell left them with psychiatric injuries, while six of the group say it robbed them of the chance of a lucrative career. Each of the men, now in their 40s and 50s, is seeking damages but City’s lawyers have asked Bennell — serving a 34-year sentence in prison — to give evidence on their behalf in a bid to fight off the claims. Delivering a cutting opening, James Counsell QC, representing the men, said that City ‘now bases its defence full square on information it has received from one of Britain’s most notorious paedophiles’. The group claim Bennell, 67, abused them between 1979 and 1985 while he was a City scout and now they want damages. City dispute that was the case but Counsell described Bennell as ‘integral to the Manchester City youth set-up, an important part of a recruitment process’. Mr Justice Johnson was told that Bennell, who has been convicted of sexual offences against boys on five separate occasions had a sky blue identification card which described him as City’s ‘north west representative’. The case is listed for eight weeks, with Bennell set to give evidence via videolink from prison on December 6. Michael Kent QC, representing City, suggested calling Bennell as a witness was the only option as two people with ‘knowledge of the situation’ — City’s former chief scout Ken Barnes and former club secretary Bernard Halford — are deceased. In a statement, City said the club are named in the case ‘as a formality only’ and they do not make decisions ‘such as who to call as witnesses’.