Bennell guilty of sexually abusing more footballers
BARRY BENNELL, the former football coach, has been found guilty of abusing more young footballers after grooming them with the promise he could make them stars.
The 64-year-old, who has previously received three jail sentences for similar offences, was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of sex offences against more victims.
Bennell, who was compared in court to the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, was convicted of two counts of indecently assaulting one young boy between 1979 and 1982. He was also found guilty of three counts of indecent assault and two counts of buggery against a second complainant and four counts of indecent assault against a third complainant.
One victim, whom he had admitted abusing in 1998, had earlier said he knew of four men who had been coached by Bennell, including Gary Speed, the former Wales manager, who had gone on to take their own lives.
The jury was told there was no evidence to link the deaths to Bennell.
Bennell, who is now known as Richard Jones, was described during the course of his trial as a “child molester on an industrial scale” who would not just groom his victims, but also their families. Victims who had been coached by Bennell as boys told how he exercised a “power hold” over them as they dreamed of becoming professional footballers.
The youth scout and junior football coach was associated with several clubs, including Stoke City, Crew Alexandra and Manchester City, where he was said to have been treated like “God” at the team’s Maine Road ground.
The jury is deliberating on four counts involving another complainant and three other counts involving other complainants.
The jurors were sent home last night to resume deliberations on those outstanding counts today.
Before the trial started Bennell pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault involving three boys, two of whom were part of the trial.